by Kitty Parker
Tessa eased at her attitude. Yesterday she had been overcome with worry and grief over her son. Despite her fear for her son, she had never made Tessa feel responsible for what happened, even though she knew it was her fault and her fault alone. Today, Mrs. Sullivan seemed to not have a care in the world. Tessa was sure that her husband had repeated his good prognosis the night before, which settled her nerves about Parker's condition. She smiled at Mrs. Sullivan and followed as she led the way out of the room. As they neared the stairs, Mrs. Sullivan put an arm around Tessa's waist.
Tessa wasn't sure if it was an act of kindness, or a force of habit from those months she needed extra help down the stairs. In either case, Tessa relished the older woman's touch, so motherly, so comforting even as they walked. When they reached the kitchen, Mrs. Sullivan lowered her arm and got right to work. She gave Tessa simple instructions while she got eggs and bacon together on the stove. Tessa complied quickly, working alongside Mrs. Sullivan in comfortable silence. She noticed Mrs. Sullivan's gaze fall on her several times while she worked and saw the smile that her work coerced from the older woman's lips.
As everything cooked, Tessa felt her hunger gurgle under her robe. The bacon smelled delicious, and from her vantage point, Mrs. Sullivan cooked it perfectly. The eggs, which she had whipped furiously were now sizzling in another pan. Expertly, Mrs. Sullivan spun them around the pan until they were fluffy, then spilled them evenly onto two plates. She divided the bacon as well, then picked up the delicate porcelain plates, signaling Tessa to follow her to the small table that sat in the corner of the kitchen.
Once seated, Mrs. Sullivan bowed her head, "Dear Lord, I thank you for the food you've blessed us with this morning. I pray that you would put it to good use, and give us the strength to endure all of the struggles before us. I thank you for Tessa, I thank you for bringing her to us, and I pray that you will continue to watch over and protect her. Help her to see what a beautiful and accomplished woman you have helped her to become. I also pray that you continue to use her to bless me and my family. And now we lift Parker before you. Heal him Father, completely. Give his body the strength to fight this injury, and use this circumstance to make him stronger in you. Bless this day, and our actions. In your precious name, amen."
After Mrs. Sullivan finished, Tessa kept her head bowed for a moment, to wipe the tears from her eyes. Again, Mrs. Sullivan reminded her of the mother she had missed for three years, and would continue to miss for the rest of her life. Tessa was overwhelmed by the thanks Mrs. Sullivan had offered for her, despite the part she had played in the trouble her son had gotten into. Mrs. Sullivan reached to Tessa and pulled her chin up, forcing Tessa's eyes to meet her own.
"I want you to believe every word I just said," Mrs. Sullivan said softly, stroking a tear from Tessa's cheek.
Tessa felt another burst of tears come from her throat as she saw the truth in the woman's eyes, "I don't know why you would be thankful for me," she answered bluntly. "I've caused you and your family a lot of grief."
Mrs. Sullivan laughed, "Tess, I am thankful for you. You and your family have brought so much to our household since you've come, and when I think of all the time you've spent with us, grief is not a word I would use to describe it."
"But I'm the reason Parker got hurt," Tessa said.
"No, Jerry Poteck is the reason Parker got hurt, and like I told you yesterday, I know there was no place Parker would have rather been." Mrs. Sullivan took a bite of eggs while keeping her eyes on Tessa as if surveying her. "Are you in love with my son, Tessa?"
Tessa was glad she didn't have anything in her mouth. She felt her eyes grow wide and she was unable to keep eye contact with Mrs. Sullivan. How did she know? Tessa herself had just realized her own feelings for Parker.
"I'll take those eyes as the answer to my question; I know I was bold to ask. I must confess that I've known the answer for some time."
"But, how could you have? Even I didn't realize how deep my feelings ran for your son."
Mrs. Sullivan laughed again, patting Tessa's hand that was resting on the table, "Tess, I've been in your shoes. I wasn't trying to protect my family like you've been doing, but I was trying to protect the children I had worked a lifetime to help. I noticed my feelings for Eli far later than I should have. You have a different way about you when Parker is around. You're easier with him, and you smile differently. There are more things I could mention, but I'm positive it would do nothing but embarrass you. I'm so glad you've realized your feelings for Parker."
"You are?" Tessa asked, surprised by her blunt admission.
"Sure am! Tessa, believe me when I say, I have never met a more perfect woman for my son, and I've been looking for quite some time."
Tessa couldn't stifle a laugh, imagining this sweet woman looking for a wife for her son. At the same time, she couldn't believe that Parker had remained single for as long as he had. He was the best man she had ever known, and she was sure any woman would be lucky to have him by her side for the rest of her life. She was beginning to let the possibility that she might be that woman sink in. Since the idea passed through her mind, she had begun to feel humble and amazed that he would choose a woman like her, a woman who had endured so much.
"My Park loves you, very much," Mrs. Sullivan said softly, "which I know you already know. I don't want to frighten you with my thoughts, but I want you to know that I will consider it a great blessing to have a daughter-in-law like you."
Tessa could contain her emotions no more. She got out of her chair and wrapped her arms around Mrs. Sullivan, who stood at the action. Tessa relished the tightness with which Mrs. Sullivan held her. She couldn't keep her tears as she thought about the man confined to his bed upstairs.
The smiles of Mrs. Sullivan and good news from Dr. Sullivan weren't enough to completely calm her fears. Tessa had lost her mother in a way that she would never forget, and her father had been a casualty of the terrible times they were enduring. And while it certainly wasn't as devastating, she had also lost Lou. With the loss of both of her parents, and first hope of love, she also lost her ability to live in the carefree way that had been her privilege as she grew up. Losing Parker seemed to loom before her, and she knew his loss would affect her differently than the ones she had already endured. It was clear to her now that she loved Parker very much, and now her only fear was that he wouldn't survive for her to be able to tell him so. Her prayers became pleas, begging that Parker would survive, willing to become his treasure if he would still have her.
Chapter 31
Parker struggled to open his eyes, forcing his brain to break the fog that was currently encompassing him. The room swirled before him as his head remained against the pillow. After a moment, everything grew still, and the effects of the anesthesia his father had given seemed to dwindle a bit. Carefully, he propped himself up, pushing the pillows behind him up as he moved. Pain shot through his arm and neck as he moved, but sitting quickly became more comfortable for him.
Drawing a deep breath, the pain subsided slightly. He knew that his father would be in soon to check the suture and see if he was in need of any medication. Parker considered taking some, something he was normally opposed to after an injury, but he had never been shot before, and this beat all of the other pain he had ever experienced. Reaching across his chest, he pulled the gauze away from his shoulder which was exposed with the rest of his upper body. With doctor's eyes, he inspected the stitches, noticing what neat work his father did. Everything looked fine, but the bullet had ripped a hole in his shoulder. Without doubt he would have to practice careful exercises if he wanted to regain full use of his arm.
Once assured that his own condition was satisfactory, his mind jumped to Tessa. Through the cloud of his drug induced sleep he seemed to remember her being in his bedroom the night before, but that was ridiculous. Tess would never leave her own room and enter his when the house was asleep, would she? Trying to shake the grog from his mind to better recall the events of la
st evening, he ended up with the room swirling around him, making him nauseous.
He continued to think about the day before and how everything had happened. Even as he had lain on the ground of Jerry's shanty with a bullet in his shoulder he had thanked God that Tessa had remained unharmed. He would have easily taken a few more bullets if it would have ensured her safety. A smile parted his lips as he remembered the concerned look on Tessa's face as she pressed down on his shoulder. The pain had nearly caused him to faint, but he had held onto her blue eyes, finding strength in the emotion he had long hoped to see there. If he wasn't mistaken, it was love that had mingled with the concern that had filled Tessa's eyes.
A creak drew his attention to his bedroom door, it moved ever so slightly, but he watched carefully as the door broke away from its frame. Slowly, it opened, its pace controlled carefully by whoever was on the other side. He hoped it was Tessa, knowing that she would be as careful, not wanting to wake him if he was still asleep. The door continued on its path, but as the hallway became visible, the person causing the movement wasn't. Careful not to jostle his shoulder, he craned his neck and noticed dark curls that only stood three feet from the floor.
Emma tiptoed into the room, obviously unable to see that he was awake on the bed. He stifled his laughter, afraid he would both offend and scare her with the simple action. Her little curls bounced as she exaggerated her stealthy entry to his room. When she disappeared from his sight, he watched the end of his bed. It took no longer than a few seconds before he saw her small hands grip the top of his bed's foot. As her head cleared the brass piece of furniture, effort evident through the strain of her features, she paused.
"You're awake!" she whispered, an excited gleam lighting her eyes.
"Yes I am."
She remained still on the edge of the bed, a big smile on her lips. Suddenly, her expression fell, "Did I wake you up?"
"No, I was already awake," he assured her.
"Wsheww," she sighed, flinging herself over the footrest and landing with a thud on the bottom of his bed. She crawled in a most unladylike fashion, her dress rising above her little knees, her hair flipping over her head with each move. Finally, she plopped her little self right beside his head. Once still, she stared at him, her eyes squinting in what appeared to be an inspection.
"Essa, told me not to bother you," she said when she was fully satisfied with her inspection.
"Oh did she?"
"Yes, but, I wanted to make sure you was okay, and I tried not to bother you."
He laughed at her grammatical error, then patted her head with his good arm, "I'm okay."
"Can you play?"
Laughing again, he shook his head, which brought a pout out of the little girl who looked like a younger version of the woman who held his heart.
"You're not okay if you can't play," she said in a matter of fact tone, pout still in place.
"You do have a point there, but I can still do lots of things. I'll be able to play again real soon too."
"Did you save Essa?" she asked, changing the subject entirely.
"I guess I did," he answered honestly.
"Sadie said you saved her. Was Essa gonna get hurt?"
Parker breathed deeply, not sure how much Tessa wanted Emma to know. He also wasn't sure if Tessa still planned to go back to the shanty town. If she was, and Emma heard too much, she would certainly be frightened to stay there. While that could be an advantage to his argument for her to stay, he wouldn't do that to Tessa. "I think she might have," he nodded, deciding on the simple answer.
Without hesitation, Emma wrapped her arms around Parker's middle. He placed a hand on her head as she squeezed him tightly. She held on for quite a while and when she finally lessened her grip, she only allowed enough room for her to look up at him while hugging. "Thank you, I need Essa."
He shook his head as he let the truth of that statement sink in. Whispering, he answered, "So do I," just quiet enough that Emma wouldn't hear.
"What can you do?" Emma asked, jumping back to one of his previous statements.
"I don't really know..."
"Can you read?" she asked, an excited sparkle in her eyes.
It was amazing how much laughter this little girl could pull from him in such a short time, "Sure can."
Without hesitation, she rolled off his bed and dashed out of the room, carefully checking both ways before running into the hallway. Parker was left alone for only a moment before Emma skipped back into the room, book in hand. Throwing it up onto the bed, she struggled to get up behind it. Parker reached to help, but realized that with his shoulder that would be far too much for him. Emma managed on her own and snuggled up on his good side, holding the side of the book that fell on the arm that he couldn't use.
She opened to the first page and then smiled up at him, as if to say she was ready for him to read. With another laugh, he focused on the words on the page before him. It felt good to have this little girl snuggled up beside him. Somehow, she seemed unaffected by the dramatic events of yesterday, caring only that she had someone to read to her at this moment. At the same time, he knew how much she cared by her stealthy mission to check on his wellbeing.
As they read, Emma giggled in all of the right places, inserting her comments at the appropriate parts. Parker continued to laugh as the little girl's personality made him forget all about the pain in his shoulder. While he read, thoughts of his future flashed before his eyes. Not only did he love Tessa, but he loved Sadie, Lucas and Emma too. He could easily take on the roll of their older brother and caretaker. Tessa needed a partner, and he was more than ready for the task. It would be his greatest joy to take care of the little girl who was currently relaxed within his arms, and it would be a privilege to watch her grow into a beautiful young woman. As that thought settled in his mind, a new one sprang forward, children of his own.
He had never really let his mind wander down that path before, focusing all of his attention on making Tessa realize her love for him, encouraging her to trust him as more than a friend. Now, as he hoped she had finally reached that point he allowed his mind wander to the possibility of the future he had kept at bay. If anything would get in the way of that now, it would be his urge to move too quickly. Calming himself, he knew he would have to move just as slow as he had been. After all, Tessa was probably scared and uncertain after the events of last night. Parker didn't want Tessa to think that marriage was the cost of his protection. He would wait for as long as she needed, but he wouldn't let her go back to the shanty town. He prayed that convincing her of that would be easier now.
Chapter 32
"Emma!" Tessa scolded as she opened Parker's door. She was carrying a tray with lunch for Parker, but as she saw her little sister snuggled under his arm, she nearly lost everything she was balancing. "What are you doing in here? I told you not to bother Dr. Parker."
"I wanted to see if he was okay," Emma whimpered, wiggling closer to Parker. Tessa caught Parker's grimace at the sudden movement, but he curled his arm around her sister, and offered Tessa a smile.
"Tess, it's fine, I was already awake, and enjoyed the company."
Emma beamed at his comment, as if to tell Tessa she had told her so. Tessa understood how important it was for Emma to feel valued and loved, but she also wanted to teach her sister to be considerate of others. Tessa entered the room fully, set the tray on the table, and took a seat beside Parker's bed. "I asked you not disturb Dr. Parker because I didn't know how he would be feeling today. You could have woken him up."
"But I didn't woken him up!" Emma rationalized.
The cuteness of her little sister's childish grammar was just about Tessa's undoing. She absolutely loved her sister and found that it became increasingly difficult to discipline her when she found her so adorable. Holding her ground, she moved closer to the bed, plucked Emma from her place beside Parker and settled her in her own lap before explaining. "But you could have. You didn't know that he was awake when you came in."
>
"I know," Emma answered, "but I was worried."
Tessa's lips nuzzled close to her sister's ear, but her eyes were locked on Parker's, "I know; I was too," she agreed softly. "Now, I want you to go find Sadie and get something to eat," Tessa instructed deciding to forgo punishment.
"Can I come back later?" Emma asked, a pout curling her lower lip.
"I'm sure Dr. Parker will like some company later, but you need to have permission to come in first, we don't want to wake him up if he's napping."
"Okay, Essa."
Tessa helped Emma to the ground and watched her curls bounce as she exited the room. Once Emma was gone, Tessa turned to look at Parker and found him looking at her intently. His gaze caused a blush to rise in her cheeks immediately. Pushing aside her embarrassment, she inched her chair closer to where he was propped up against the headboard. "How are you feeling?" she asked, trying to forget his dark eyes for a moment.
"I'm a little sore, but nothing that will keep me in bed for more than a day. How are you?" His good arm came up and he cupped her face in his hand, rubbing his thumb against the bruise that currently ran across her cheekbone. Jerry had slapped her quite a bit before Parker had tumbled in on them, but her injuries were nothing in comparison to Parker's.
"I'm fine," she took his hand from her face and held it in her lap, "I just have a few bruises." He looked her over and seemed to believe her for a moment.
She sat quietly, relishing the feel of his hand in hers, glad that he was awake and doing well. There was a question she had to ask. It was one that she wasn't sure she wanted answered, but she had to know just the same. "Park, can I ask you a question about last night?"
"It hurts a lot to get shot," he said, a smirk on his lips.
"What?" Tessa asked, confused.
"Wasn't that your question?" he asked, playfully.
She attempted a laugh, but grew serious quickly, knowing what she was about to say. "It wasn't. Didn't you hear me say that Jerry had a gun? I heard you at the door, well I assumed it was you and I realized I didn't want you to come into get hurt because Jerry had a gun and was acting crazy. I screamed that he had it so you would try to find a different way in, didn't you hear me?"
