A Dream of Family

by Jill Weatherholt

  “We sure do. Follow me. We have a rather extensive travel and leisure section.” Molly led the two ladies to the far corner of the store. “Is this your first visit to the DC area?”

  This time, the older woman spoke. “When I was in high school, my senior class took a field trip to Washington.” The lady chuckled. “Obviously, that was a long time ago. I know a lot has changed, so I wanted to visit once more and share the experience with my daughter. We live in Florida, and she’s never traveled outside of the state.”

  “You’re a long way from home. May I ask how you learned about my store?”

  The older woman rested her hand on her daughter’s arm. “Jenny is the techie in the family. She found you on the internet. Your website is beautiful.”

  If Molly was keeping score, Derek was winning by a landslide. Another one of his suggestions was a success. “That’s nice of you to say. I’m pleased you liked the site.”

  Molly chewed her lower lip. Derek had mentioned his plans to make an announcement about the Book Buddies gathering on her website and on the Twitter account he’d created for her store. She hadn’t expected it to generate so much interest, but since she’d arrived at the shop this morning, her phone had been ringing nonstop with questions from parents about the event. Some asked if a reservation was required. For real? People thought they’d need to reserve a space?

  The phone behind the counter rang. “I’ll get it.” Caitlin scurried to answer. “Thank you for calling Bound to Please Reads. This is Caitlin. How may I help you? Sure, she’s right here.” Caitlin handed the phone over. “It’s Annie.”

  The coffee Molly had earlier that morning churned deep in her stomach. What if Grace didn’t have fun painting? Or worse, maybe the child had told Annie she didn’t like Molly, but Grace had spent most of the time playing with Duke. “Hey, Annie. What’s up?”

  “I want to bring Grace over today for Book Buddies.”

  Molly picked at a loose thread on her blouse, and her heart lifted. “Sure. Of course.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll respect your privacy. We’ll pop in and hang out for a while so Grace can observe your interaction with other children. It might help her get to know you better, so she’ll feel more at ease around you.”

  “Did she say something? Did she not enjoy herself on Sunday?” Molly rubbed her earlobe. After Annie and Grace left, she’d replayed her time spent with Grace over in her mind. She couldn’t recall anything that would’ve caused Grace to be uneasy in her presence.

  “Oh no. Of course not. She did mention Derek’s puppy. She’s just shy around people, that’s all. Give her time and you’ll gain her trust.”

  Given Grace’s background, that was understandable. As a child, Molly had been distrustful of people. In many ways, that hadn’t changed, especially when it came to men. “So, what time do you plan to stop by?”

  “We should be there before five o’clock.” Annie paused. “And, Molly, try and relax. Just be yourself. Grace will come around.”

  Molly disconnected the call and wrapped her arms tightly around her waist. She hoped Annie was right. What if Grace never felt a connection with her? She needed to brush away the negative thoughts and stay positive, like Derek. Hopefully, in a couple of hours, the bookstore would be packed with customers interested in buying books.

  * * *

  Later in the day, as dusk crept over the mountains, Molly glanced at the time on her phone. Chills traveled through her body. With a half hour until the start of Book Buddies, the store was more crowded than she’d ever seen it. As much as it pained her to admit, Derek was right. Everything he’d said about building a platform had been spot-on. Sending a newsletter on a regular basis might spark more business. She could ask Derek to help her with more ideas this evening. If he wasn’t busy.

  Children’s giggles filled the shop, and Molly’s heart soared. She loved to see a sense of excitement in young readers. Her mind drifted to Grace. Did she read books to escape real life? Had any adult in her young life introduced her to the joy of reading? If not, maybe Molly could.

  The front doorbell tinkled. Molly turned and spotted Derek entering the shop. Dressed in a dark brown leather jacket and faded jeans, she had to admit he looked handsome. He approached, and a wide smile parted his lips. “It looks like you’ve got yourself plenty of buddies today.”

  Molly laughed and nodded. “I have to give you credit. Your ideas were brilliant. I’ve never had this many children attend. I haven’t checked my website today, but by the looks of this crowd, you must have posted everything we discussed.”

  “I did.” Derek nodded. “I also added an extra incentive for the parents.”

  “And what might that be?” Molly was impressed.

  He fished in his back pocket. “Coupons for a free coffee. If you don’t mind, I thought I could pass these out to the adults.”

  “What’s to mind? Of course you can. Thank you so much.” Molly watched Derek while he worked his way around the store, handing out his gifts. She couldn’t help but notice the number of double takes many of the female customers did when he passed by. Why wouldn’t they? He was easy on the eyes. But not hers.

  “That sure was nice of Mr. McKinney,” Caitlin said as she leaned in close while Molly continued to observe Derek work the room, commanding the attention of every woman he spoke with. Many giggled and blushed. Shaking her head, she pushed aside a twinge of jealousy. Oh brother. She didn’t have time for this nonsense. She had a business to save.

  Without warning, Molly’s heart stopped. Grace. She was here. She clung tightly to Annie. Her honey-blond hair bounced off her shoulders each time she turned her head to take in her surroundings. The child paused when their eyes connected. Molly’s pulse quickened. Was that a glimmer of a smile? Whatever it was, it faded, along with Molly’s confidence.

  Excited children and adults filled the store, and she lost sight of Grace. A group of parents worked their way toward the beverage table Molly and Caitlin had arranged near the fiction section. Molly searched the crowd. Her heart squeezed when she spotted Grace again. Derek was kneeling in front of her, showing her something on his phone. When the most beautiful smile Molly had ever seen ignited across the child’s face, it stole her breath. Grace’s tiny lips moved, but Molly couldn’t hear her over the buzz of the crowd. She heard Derek’s laughter while the two looked closer at his device. For a minute, she was jealous. Why hadn’t Grace smiled and laughed when they were together?

  An hour and a half later, Book Buddies had completed its most successful gathering in its nearly two-year history. The first-grade class appeared to have loved her book choice, a sweet tale of a kitten, her outdoor adventures and the friends she met along the way. The children shared their favorite parts of the story. Many loved the birds and butterflies, while others loved the hummingbirds and turtles. Unfortunately, Grace never uttered a peep, but she appeared to listen to the discussion. That was something—right? But Molly was saddened by her lack of engagement with the group.

  At the register, Caitlin handled purchases while some of the adults rallied their children to head home. Countless parents thanked Molly for a wonderful evening and expressed their excitement for next week. She should have been elated by the great turnout, but Molly had once again failed to make any connection with Grace. She busied herself by clearing away the empty cups.

  “We had a nice time, Molly,” Annie said as she approached with Grace, but the child kept her distance and her gaze glued on the floor.

  Longing for a connection, Molly turned from the refreshment table and looked down at Grace. “Did you get some cookies and juice, Grace?”

  She responded with a quick nod. That was it? That was all she got before the child took off toward Derek. Sadness bubbled up in her. This was supposed to be her time with Grace. Derek was ruining things again.

  “She seems to have developed a fondness for Derek.” A
nnie smiled.

  Molly considered her friend’s comment. She observed the interaction between the child and Derek and craved something similar. “Earlier, what was he showing her on his phone?”

  “Oh, they were watching a video of his puppy. Before Book Buddies, we ran into Derek walking Duke. I’ve never seen Grace that excited. Derek was so sweet and patient, allowing her to pet the animal. Duke loved the attention. Derek videotaped the dog licking Grace on the cheek. Since I’ve known Grace, I’ve never seen her engage with anyone like she has with Derek.”

  Molly watched as a hidden dimple in Grace’s cheek appeared while she gazed at Derek. The child appeared to cling to his every word.

  Molly wrapped her arms tightly around her chest. “Maybe I should get a dog or a kitten?”

  Annie laughed. “I think you have enough on your plate. Oh, by the way, I suggested something to Derek and he was okay with the idea, but I wanted to run it by you.”

  “Sure.”

  Annie stole a quick glance toward Grace before turning her attention back to Molly. “I hope you don’t get mad. Believe me, I’m not trying to play matchmaker or anything.”

  Molly was confused. “Okay...but you’ve lost me. Are we talking about Grace or Derek?”

  “Well...both. I think part of the reason Grace is comfortable with Derek is because of Duke. After church on Sunday, I thought it might be a good idea for us to take Grace on a picnic.”

  Molly’s shoulders relaxed. “It sounds like the perfect outing for the three of us.”

  Annie half laughed. “Well, I meant the five of us. You, me, Grace, Derek and Duke.”

  She was joking. Wasn’t she?

  “I know you have mentioned your past issues with Derek, but I think he and Duke could help you and Grace bond. Please, let’s give it a try. Just once. Doing this in a group may take some of the pressure off and allow you to be more yourself.”

  So far, the time she’d spent with Grace hadn’t gone the way she had hoped. In fact, it had only filled her head with self-doubt. She questioned whether she’d be a good mother for Grace...or for any child. “Do you think a picnic is the answer?” Molly wondered how she could be more relaxed with Derek around.

  Annie rested her hand on Molly’s forearm. “I think it might be the way for you to connect with Grace. Don’t worry so much. I know you’d like to see what’s happening with Derek and Grace happen for you, too, but trust me, this is all good. Having Grace comfortable with your friends is a good thing.” She adjusted her purse strap on her shoulder. “I need to grab Grace and get going. Derek is on board with the idea, so we’ll talk tomorrow.”

  Friends? Derek wasn’t a friend. He was a business acquaintance who was helping her out. Wait—Annie had already spoken with Derek? Her head spun.

  A picnic might be a good idea. But why did it have to be with Derek? He wasn’t in her close circle of friends. In fact, he was the one person she’d rather keep in her past. True, he was helping her with the store, but once sales increased, she planned to stay as far away from him as possible. How could having Grace get attached to him be a good thing? She’d have to think about that later. She moved toward the counter to assist Caitlin with the last couple of customers.

  “Thanks for coming tonight. We hope you’ll come back again,” Caitlin said as she passed the bag of books to a mother and daughter.

  “Good night,” Molly added with a smile.

  “Phew! What a night. I don’t think I’ve ever been so busy.” Caitlin tipped her head, and a brunette strand escaped her loose ponytail at the base of her neck.

  “That’s a good thing.”

  Molly spun around at the sound of Derek’s voice. His presence unnerved her tonight.

  “I think this might be your best sales day ever. Or at least the biggest I’ve worked.” Caitlin reached for her bottle of water next to the cash register and took a long pull. “If it’s okay, I’ll get going. I’ve got to study for an exam in the morning.”

  “Sure. Thank you so much for all of your help, Caitlin.”

  “Anytime.” Caitlin reached for her backpack stowed in a cabinet. “Good night, Mr. McKinney.” The young girl glided across the floor and out of the front door.

  Derek leaned against the counter and smiled. “Congratulations on a successful night. The kids and the parents obviously enjoyed themselves.”

  Mixed emotions swirled in Molly. She couldn’t deny the large turnout tonight was due to Derek and his expert marketing skills. Extending an invitation through social media to parents of children outside of the school system had been a great idea. The man had a head for business. “I should be congratulating you. I saw what you posted on the website and on Twitter. It’s the reason so many people attended. The moment I opened the shop this morning, the phone rang with people expressing interest. Some asked if they needed a reservation.”

  Derek slipped his hands into his back pockets. “I’m glad I could help.”

  “You went above and beyond. Thanks to you, I might be able to pay Rusty last month’s rent.”

  “I’m happy for you.” Derek spun on his heel and headed toward the entrance. He stopped short of the front door and turned. His expression appeared despondent. “Good night, Molly.”

  Why the subdued attitude? She’d expected him to be excited and ready to put a rush on the newsletter. Whatever. It was all for the best. She’d take care of the letter herself. Despite all of the good he’d done for her store, she hadn’t forgotten about the past. Derek telling Ryan he shouldn’t marry her was indefensible. And what about him and Grace? Molly felt like she was competing with Derek for the child’s attention. He’d ruined her wedding day, but she wouldn’t allow him to come between her and Grace.

  * * *

  Early the following morning, a strong gust of wind rattled the shutters on Derek’s one-story ranch home, rousting him out of bed. No point wallowing underneath the sheets anyway. He’d been wide awake for hours, flipping from his back to his stomach.

  Derek swung his legs out of the bed and onto the cool pine floor. Duke sprang to his feet from the oversized pillow where he slept in the corner and raced to the edge of the nightstand.

  “Hey, buddy. Did that wind wake you, too?” Derek scratched the puppy’s head, and the gesture was returned with sloppy wet licks. “How about we get some coffee and go for a walk?”

  Fifteen minutes later, the sun ascended over the mountains dominating the horizon. Shades of red and pink shimmered in the sky. Dawn. A fresh start. His favorite part of the day. Derek pulled in a deep breath as he and Duke walked the trampled path surrounding the ten-acre property. The strong winds from earlier had subsided, leaving behind crisp and cool air. Although Derek had signed a month-to-month lease, he had the option to purchase the house and land if he decided to stay in Whispering Slopes. But why would he? After his parents divorced, he’d vowed to never plant roots or settle down.

  “It’s just you and me, right, bud?” Duke was all he needed. The unconditional love from an animal would never disappoint. How could you do that to us, Dad? Mom and I loved you. We put our trust in you. He tried to push the thoughts from his mind. But like a slick oil spill in the blue waters of the Caribbean, his entire upbringing had been tainted with deception. His stomach soured. He dumped his remaining coffee onto the dewy grass. Derek bent down and unhooked the leash. Duke took off toward the split-rail fence, his wet nose to the ground.

  Derek ran the events of last night through his mind. Molly had had a good turnout, and hopefully, it would generate a lot of sales. She should have been elated, yet her face had told a different story, like she was mad about something. She’d tossed scrutinizing glances while he’d shown Grace the video of her and Duke. Was she envious? He’d been confused by Annie’s invitation to go on a picnic. But after she explained how Grace came out of her shell around him and Duke, he couldn’t say no. She was a delightful l
ittle girl. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, she’d gotten into his heart. That couldn’t be a good thing, could it? It was the reason he’d made such an abrupt exit last night after Book Buddies. He couldn’t get attached to the child. Or to Molly. He’d only get hurt.

  “Come on, Duke,” Derek called out over the cooing mourning dove. “I’ve got a town full of people who need their caffeine fix.”

  Later, after some time spent with his Bible, Derek was showered, shaved and behind the wheel of his SUV. Bright rays of sun prompted him to pull down the car’s visor, but it didn’t obstruct his view of the golden-yellow leaves dotted with orange painting the skyline. It was a perfect day to be outside.

  His mind drifted. A picnic. What about Molly’s plan to keep things business only? Had it been wise to agree to spend an afternoon with Molly and Grace? Something about Grace had prevented him from saying no to Annie’s invitation. The child came to life around Duke.

  Derek was familiar with animals being used in nursing homes as a form of therapy to combat loneliness. He’d seen it at the home where his grandmother lived before she went to be with the Lord. She’d told him the weekly interactions with the visiting dogs were the highlight of her day, since she didn’t have much to look forward to. The unconditional love the animals showed the residents had kept his grandmother going. It was what had prompted him to say yes to Annie.

  Upon entering the downtown city limits, he eased his foot off the accelerator and took in his surroundings. A sense of calmness washed over him. Whispering Slopes was a far cry from the hustle and bustle of cities where his other coffee shops were located. Since opening his store here, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt more at peace. Well, he could, but he tried to avoid thinking about it. It was a period of time he referred to as “Before Destruction by Dad.”