A Family for Luke

by Carolyne Aarsen

  Autumn looked puzzled, as if surprised that nothing had happened this time. The trembling smile she gave her mother made Janie’s knees weak with relief.

  Janie scooped up her daughter into her arms and gave her a quick hug just as she heard her own mother’s outraged voice from inside the house.

  “What is going on in the bathroom?”

  Janie heard a bark, then the sound of water being lapped up. Oh, my goodness, was that dog drinking out of the toilet?

  “I’m sorry, Mom,” Todd said as Janie held Autumn close. “I didn’t think he would come in the house.”

  “That’s okay, Todd.” Janie needed to go inside and see what that dog was doing, but she couldn’t leave Autumn outside. She caught her son by the hand and led him and Autumn to the porch swing. “Sit here and don’t move.”

  “But I want to see the dog,” Todd complained.

  “You need to stay with Autumn. You know why she’s afraid of dogs.”

  “I’m not afraid of dogs.” Todd offered, putting his arm around his sister.

  “What’s going on?” Now her own mother was outside and the dog was barking inside. “How did that creature get into the house? You must get him out. Immediately.” Then Tilly saw Autumn and swooped down. “Is she okay, Janie? Did that dog hurt her? How could you let this happen?”

  Janie felt like clapping her hands over her ears and retreating somewhere. Anywhere but here.

  She’d spent most of the afternoon making coffee for her customers and trying to balance the books of her coffee shop. Though the customers kept coming, there was still a negative sign in front of the final balance in the checkbook, an irony not lost on her.

  She and her oldest daughter, Suzie, had had a fight this morning over the skimpy skirt Suzie insisted on wearing, which made her look closer to twenty than fourteen, and Autumn had thrown up all over her precious bear. The phone call from Todd’s teacher expressing her concern over Todd’s constant reading during lunchtime was another nice touch.

  And then, on the way home, her car started making funny noises that weren’t the least bit humorous to her.

  As a result, the ache perched behind her eyes all day had spread to her entire head, making it pound and throb.

  When she’d turned onto her street, she had been so tempted to keep going past the house and down the road to the highway. Away from responsibilities and the constant demands on a single mother trying to juggle family and work.

  But that was her ex-husband’s trick. Not hers. Not responsible Janie Corbett. And as a result, she had been attacked by a crazed dog that was now loose in her house. Her new neighbor was yelling up the stairs, and her mother was staring at her as if this entire chaotic mess was her fault.

  Somewhere there had to be a lesson in all of this.

  “So how did that dog get in the house?” Tilly continued, pressing Janie for an answer.

  “I let the dog in, Grandma,” Todd said quietly. “He was looking at Autumn.”

  Tilly pulled back, her hands fluttering over her granddaughter’s face. “Honey, are you okay? Is she okay?”

  Though the edge of anxiety in Tilly’s voice echoed her previous fear, Janie resented the way her mother’s tone elevated the concern in her daughter’s face.

  “Autumn’s fine, Mom. Please, don’t fuss.”

  The look her mother gave her held a volume of unspoken fears and concerns laced with reprimand.

  “Don’t fuss? Don’t fuss? This precious child was bitten by Owen’s dog only a few years ago. How could you forget that?”

  Janie felt suitably chastened and, at the same time, guilty. It had been Tilly whom Janie called after she took Autumn to the emergency room and Tilly who had shown up to give her the support she should have been getting from her husband, Owen.

  Even when Janie brought Autumn home, shivering with fear from being taken to the E.R., Owen was still not answering his phone. Janie had had to call the SPCA herself to come and get the dog.

  “Cooper, come here,” she heard from inside the house.

  “Janie, shouldn’t you go in and help him?” her mother asked.

  “And do what?” Why did her mother think she could do anything with that out-of-control dog?

  Tilly ignored Janie’s outburst as she held Autumn close. “And you, baby, how are you? That dog must have scared you half to death.” Tilly shot Janie an annoyed look.

  With her headache subsiding, Janie trudged inside to see what she could do.

  Luke stood at the foot of the stairs, one foot on the lower steps, his knee showing through a hole in his pants and the sleeves of his faded shirt rolled over his forearms.

  His long, brown hair, curling over his collar and his unshaven cheeks would have looked slovenly on some men, but the even planes of his face created an appeal not lost on Janie.

  And when he gave her a sidelong glance, she felt the vague beginnings of feelings so long dormant she hadn’t thought they even existed.

  “Sorry. Still don’t have the dog,” he said, an apologetic note in his voice.

  “What is taking so long?”

  “I didn’t think you’d appreciate a complete stranger tromping through your house. Bad enough that my dog is.”

  “Well, go get him if you need to,” she snapped, her headache, her recent scare with her daughter and the disturbing way he was looking at her giving her voice a sharp edge. Autumn was fine, but she didn’t want to take any chances. She wanted the dog and this unsettling man out of her house.

  She heard a thumping sound from upstairs and then, thankfully, a few seconds later Suzie came down, holding a panting dog by the collar.

  And Suzie was doing something she hadn’t done for months.

  Her daughter was laughing. And not just a soft chuckle. No, this was a full-bodied laugh that made her eyes sparkle, her face light up and made Janie forget the skimpy skirt and tight T-shirt she was wearing that had caused such a huge battle only a few hours ago.

  “Here. I’ll take him.” Luke met Suzie halfway up the stairs and took the squirming dog from her. He looked up at Janie. “And again, I’m so sorry.”

  Her kids were okay and, from what she could see, no serious damage had been done to the house. And Luke wasn’t looking at her anymore. She just wanted to be alone.

  “Just go. Please.”

  “Does he have that ridiculous beast under control?” Tilly called out from outside. “Should I call 911?”

  Janie glanced down at the dog, now sitting with his head tipped quizzically to one side, water still dripping from his snout. He seemed harmless. The emphasis on seemed.

  “It’s under control, Mom,” Janie called over her shoulder. She arched an eyebrow at Luke, as if making sure.

  “I’m leaving now.” Luke had a firm grip on the dog’s collar, and Janie took a quick step back.

  “He won’t hurt you.” Luke’s eyes locked on to hers, and he tilted her a quick smile.

  As their eyes held that twinge returned, but she ruthlessly quashed it. Single mom. Three kids. As if she had any space for even the faintest hint of flirtation.

  “Just make sure you keep that dog away from my kids, okay?” she said, disliking the harsh tone that self-preservation had put into her voice.

  Luke held her gaze, as if surprised at her anger. Well, he could stay surprised. She didn’t need to explain anything more to him.

  But in spite of herself, she watched as he made his way down the walk, his six-foot-something frame bent over the dog to control him.

  “Oh, my. Look at the mess,” Tilly said as they stepped back in the house. “This has got to be cleaned up immediately. And if you want to keep those flowers outside in good shape, they’ll need to be dealt with, as well.”

  Janie would have preferred to deal with the flowers and ignore the mess in the house.

  But her mother was already picking up the coatrack and clucking about the relatively minor mess.

  “Cooper was hilarious.” Todd plopped onto the couch, a
grin splitting his face.

  “When I came upstairs, he was on my bed.” Suzie was still chuckling as she pushed a tossed pillow aside and sat on the floor.

  “Was he jumping?” Autumn asked.

  “No. Just standing there, his head tipped to one side, looking like he was laughing.” Suzie’s smile shone like sunshine on a cloudy day.

  “That man had to drag him away,” Todd said. “I think the dog wants to play with us.”

  “You should have seen him in the kitchen after he’d been drinking out of the toilet,” Suzie continued. “He came running off the carpet and couldn’t stop. He slid right into the cupboard, feet up in the air. It looked so…so…” Suzie couldn’t continue, she was laughing so hard.

  Janie’s heart contracted at the sound of her children’s laughter, at their smiles and sparkling eyes. How long had it been since they’d been this happy?

  Since before Owen left, that’s when. In spite of his many failings as a husband, he could, at times, have fun with the kids. Make them laugh. Do goofy things with them.

  Things Janie never had time to do.

  “But then I had to bring him downstairs.” Suzie glanced at Janie, and she saw her daughter’s mirth subside. As if it was her fault the fun had ended.

  “What did the dog do on the bed?” Janie asked, trying to maintain the moment.

  “Nothing. He didn’t do anything.”

  Her voice had taken on a defensive tone that usually set Janie’s teeth on edge, but in this case, it cut her like a knife. Suzie had misunderstood Janie’s question.

  Suzie held out her hand to Autumn. “Let’s go play upstairs.”

  Janie felt a palpable cooling of the atmosphere as Autumn and Todd walked with their sister up the stairs.

  Messed up again, she thought.

  And for a moment the loneliness of parenthood settled on her like a musty old cloak. Always the boss. Always the cop, judge and jury. Always the one to end the fun.

  “I think I’ll be going,” her mother said, brushing her hands on a handkerchief. “You should check upstairs. I’m sure there’s going to be dog hair everywhere.” Tilly shuddered.

  “Thanks for coming on such short notice.”

  “That’s what mothers do when babysitters leave you hanging.” Tilly’s amber eyes took stock of her daughter. “You’re sure you’re okay?”

  “Mother, you’re making more of this than necessary.”

  “I’m a little worried about that dog being next door.”

  “The town has a leash law. If Luke doesn’t keep him tied up, he’ll have the cops to reckon with.”

  “Well, he better keep it under control. The fence between the two yards isn’t that strong. He could easily cross it. And then who knows what will happen?”

  Janie had her worries as well about the fence and the dog, but if her concerns were put in order, these would be at the bottom of page four.

  For now, she had a family to keep going, a business to keep above water, a loan to renegotiate, a hot water tank that needed replacing, gutters that needed cleaning, a roof that needed to be reshingled, a wall that needed repairing…

  And stop. Focus on the now.

  “…and your father is going to be gone most of this month on some business, so if you need anything, I’ll be glad to help,” Tilly said.

  “Sure. Thanks, Mom. I appreciate the help.”

  Tilly’s smile softened. “I want you to know I’m praying for you. I know it’s been a year and a half since Owen died, but I’m sure you still have your difficult moments.”

  And again Janie kept her reply vague. Her mother still didn’t understand that Janie hadn’t missed Owen since he walked out on her and the kids three years earlier.

  Owen around had proved to be more dangerous than Owen gone. Owen gone didn’t drain her bank account. Owen gone didn’t make her feel as if she and the children were a huge impediment to his happiness. Owen gone was a relief, and his death had morphed her from abandoned woman to widow, an infinitely more respectable situation.

  “I’m sure there are times you wish you had someone, though,” Tilly continued, laying her hand on Janie’s arm. “I keep praying that the Lord will bring someone into your life. Someone who can be a father to your children and a support to you.”

  And how was she supposed to answer that? The last thing Janie needed or wanted right now was a man in her life. A man would be one more obligation she didn’t have time for. A man would mean opening her life, once again, to the possibility of brokenness and rejection.

  No thanks. Her life was chaotic, but as long as she kept a rein on her various obligations and duties, she was okay. One tiny change would disrupt the precarious hold she had on her life right now. Her children were her first priority, and there was no way she was going to push them aside for a man.

  She gave her mother a smile to put her off the scent. “I’m so thankful for your and Dad’s support.”

  “You know your father would give you more…”

  “No, Mom, really. We’re fine.”

  “Just a suggestion.” Tilly pecked her on the cheek. “Now go and take care of those lovely children of yours.”

  And with that, Tilly left.

  Janie closed the door behind her mother and then leaned against it, sighing. What on earth had gotten her mother going on that particular tack?

  Surely not the man who had come barreling into her life just a few moments ago.

  Her thoughts slipped back to the man who had stood in her house. The man who had given her a crooked smile that seemed to hint at interest.

  Now’s a good time to stop.

  Then, as she pushed herself away, she caught the whiff of an unfamiliar scent that created the faintest sense of yearning.

  Aftershave.

  Chapter Two

  “So this weekend’s the only time we’ll have to work on Sunday?” Bert heaved the sheet of drywall into the metal bin behind the fence of the yard.

  “We need to get caught up.”

  Luke had to get this place done in three weeks. His partner, Gary, had arranged for an open house and had promised that it was going to be a big splash.

  No pressure. No pressure at all.

  “My missus wasn’t too happy until I told her I was getting double time.” Bert tugged on his gloves as he grinned. “Couldn’t get me out of the house fast enough after that.”

  They walked back to the yard, and as Luke bent over to pick up the second chunk of drywall, he heard a voice.

  “Where’s your dog?”

  Sounded like Todd, the kid from next door.

  Luke looked around for the owner of the voice he barely heard above the din of the skill saw.

  Bert poked Luke and pointed to the fence.

  “Do you have him tied up?” Todd called out again.

  Then Luke saw the hole where one of the vertical boards on his side had been broken off halfway up. The boy was kneeling, looking through the hole.

  “I’ll be back,” he said to Bert, pointing to the rotting pieces of plywood lying on the overgrown grass. “Pile all of this up in that garbage bin and throw those bikes in there, too.”

  Then he walked over to the fence and crouched down, to get on eye level with Todd. All he could see of the boy was one hazel eye, a freckled nose and a space where two top teeth used to be. “I have him in my holiday trailer,” Luke replied grinning at the boy.

  “Doesn’t he like to run around?” Todd asked.

  “Oh, yes. When I’m finished cleaning up this yard, it will be safe for him to run around in.”

  “My mommy always said this fence was no good. We had to stay away from it when we had our other neighbors. They were bad.”

  From the condition of the house and the yard, Luke wasn’t surprised at Todd’s assessment. “What was the baddest thing about them?” he asked, curious as to what constituted bad in Todd’s books.

  “They drank beer. I don’t think they were friends of Jesus,” he said in a solemn voice.<
br />
  Friends of Jesus. The quaint phrase made Luke smile. “So are you a friend of Jesus?”

  Todd nodded, then smiled. “Are you?”

  The question made a wave in the pool of guilt Luke had been mired in since his foster father’s death. When the God of all creation, the God who was supposedly so benevolent and loving took Al, the only person who had been true family to Luke, he stopped going to church. He couldn’t stand hearing the happy, joy, joy songs mocking his sadness. There didn’t seem to be a place for pain and loss in church.

  And today was Sunday, as the men working behind him had told him a number of times. As if he didn’t know. He was pretty sure very few of them were friends of Jesus either. Sunday was for fishing, in their eyes.

  “I think Jesus is a good person,” he said instead, reluctant to drag this innocent young boy into his own particular battle with God.

  “Can your dog come over to play with us again?” Todd asked, his question coming from left field.

  Luke’s knees were getting sore so he stood up and looked over the fence down to the boy below him, taking note of the flowerpots on the deck and the tidy yard. Not the best place for an overly playful lab. “I think it might be better if Cooper stayed in my yard.”

  “But I like to play with your dog.” Todd’s grin faded away as he stood up.

  Luke was pretty sure Janie wouldn’t let Todd come over to his yard, so he didn’t make that offer.

  “Hey, Todd, we have to get ready for church.” Suzie, the oldest girl, came out onto the porch. Her clothing was more sedate for the occasion. “Mom says…” Her voice eased off when she saw Luke. With a grin, she came running over. “Is your dog with you?” she asked, grabbing the fence and leaning over it.

  “Careful,” Luke said. “I don’t know how good this fence is.”

  “Not good at all, according to my mom.” Suzie gave the boards a shake, and the whole fence listed farther.

  “Mom said she was going to fix it,” Todd said.

  “Except she can’t afford to,” Suzie added.

  Todd frowned. “Don’t let Mom hear you say that. She’ll get mad.”