by Irene Brand
She couldn’t tell him that her reaction to his embrace was totally different from anything she had felt for Steve. The years had made a difference. If only she had listened to her parents’ plea that she was too immature to get married, her life might have taken another turn.
Aimee stayed home with Samantha for two days, but after a visit to the doctor, although she would have to carry her arm in a sling for two weeks, Samantha was released to return to school. When she protested about the sling, the doctor said, “You’ll have less pain than if you let your arm dangle at your side.”
“Mom,” Samantha protested the next morning, “this cast and sling look gross. Let me stay home until I’m completely well. Madison and Jen won’t be there.”
“Jennifer may have to miss several weeks of school. But why won’t Madison be there?”
“Her parents went to the memorial service for the sister who died. They took Madison with them. I can’t carry a backpack with this sling.”
Although she, too, was worried that Samantha might find school difficult, Aimee said, “I’m sure there will be someone willing to help you.”
“I don’t know. The other kids are jealous of Jen, Madison and me. They say we’re stuck-up.”
Aimee didn’t doubt that Samantha and her friends were cliquish and conceited, but she didn’t comment. However, her heart ached for Samantha, who looked scared when she got out of the car in front of the school. Aimee would gladly have helped Samantha inside, but she wouldn’t welcome her mother carrying her books either. Aimee went to work breathing a silent prayer that God would send someone to help Samantha through the day.
The day was hectic for Aimee as she tried to catch up on the work that had piled up on her desk while she’d been away. Samantha was in the back of her mind all day long. When she stopped in front of the school, Samantha waited for her, and to her surprise, Chloe Spencer stood beside her holding Samantha’s book bag.
“Why, hello, Chloe,” Aimee said as she opened the door for Samantha.
“Thanks for helping out,” Samantha said to Chloe.
“You’re welcome. See ya, Mrs. Blake. I’ve got to catch my bus.”
“I’ll call you in a few days,” Aimee said as Chloe hurried away.
Aimee monitored the constant flow of traffic in front of the school, and slowly eased into the line. “How’d your day go?” she asked when they were out of the school traffic zone.
“Not good! My arm hurt all day. And I’ve got tons of homework.”
“Didn’t anything good happen?” Aimee asked.
“Yeah. One of the guys carried my books for me. But he had track practice after school.” Reluctantly, she added, “Chloe carried my backpack to the car.” Changing the subject abruptly, she added, “I’m tired.”
“I’m sure you are, but tomorrow will be easier.”
Aimee hoped that this incident would soften Samantha’s attitude toward Chloe, but she didn’t intend to comment on it. If Samantha wanted to participate in her activities with Chloe, she would have to take the initiative. She couldn’t be forced to be kind to Chloe.
Jacob dozed through the bicentennial meeting as report after report was read. He was glad when they handed out a list of the out-of-town people who expected to attend. He skimmed the list to see how many of them he recognized. He sat upright in his chair, and his heart skipped a beat when he read a name that still had the power to distress him. Megan Russell.
Why did she have to return now? And just when he’d met Aimee and was looking forward to a future with her! What would Aimee think if she knew that Megan was coming to the bicentennial? Should he tell her or wait and hope that he wouldn’t have to see Megan at all?
His thoughts were interrupted when the chairman said, “We’ve saved the most interesting business until last.” He took the wrapping off of a large package. “The plaque honoring Mr. Harwood was delivered today. I’m very pleased with it, and I hope you will be, too.” He steadied the bronze plaque on the table and read ponderously, “David Lee Harwood, beloved teacher, administrator, family man and civic leader of Benton.”
Jacob leaned forward to see the rest of the printing on the plaque, which included a quotation by Robert F. Kennedy. Harwood’s birth and death dates, as well as a list of his more memorable achievements, were inscribed in smaller print.
“Did Mr. Harwood have a family?” Jacob asked, to show interest in the dedication, although his mind raced with thoughts of the impending arrival of Megan.
“His wife and two children live here,” the chairman said, “and they’ll be accepting the plaque.”
Jacob stood up. “If that’s all the business, I’ll have to leave. I have an early appointment in the morning.”
But Jacob didn’t get much rest that night. His mind was on overdrive as he considered what Megan’s return might do to his relationship with Aimee. Was it possible that he could avoid Megan completely? There would be a lot of people in Benton that day, and unless she sought him out, it was unlikely they would meet. And if they did meet they might not even recognize each other.
Jacob had destroyed all of Megan’s pictures, and he barely remembered what she looked like. Her photo was in the school yearbook, but he didn’t know where his copy was. Wasn’t the fact that he’d forgotten her physical features an indication that any feelings he had once held for her were gone forever?
Since he’d been too busy all day to check his e-mail, Jacob accessed his account on his PC as soon as he got home. He skimmed messages about business that required attention, but when he saw a post from Andrew Mallory, he quickly opened the file.
Jacob, his grandfather had written, we plan to leave Florida June 15 and will stop in your town two or three days later. We will call in advance to let you know what time we’ll arrive in Benton. Will it be convenient for us to stop at that time?
Jacob started to reply, but he hesitated. Perhaps he should wait and talk the visit over with Gran. She would probably want to invite the Mallorys to stay overnight in her home, but on second thought, since he didn’t know the nature of his grandparents’ visit, he decided to let them make what arrangements they wanted.
He quickly typed a return message. As far as I know now, those dates are convenient for me. My maternal grandmother lives nearby, and I’ll want you to meet her, too.
Jacob would have liked to talk over the upcoming visit with Gran or Aimee, but it was past midnight, and both of them were probably asleep. He hadn’t felt so uneasy since the days he was confronted with Megan’s deception. It was a few weeks before his grandparents’ visit, and he dreaded the wait.
As long as Samantha still had her arm in a cast, Aimee didn’t want to leave her alone on Saturdays, but she didn’t want to shirk her responsibilities to Chloe either. All day Friday, she thought often of how to approach Samantha without alienating her from Chloe. Chloe had continued to carry Samantha’s book bag to the car each afternoon that week, and Samantha had thanked her, but she didn’t talk about Chloe to Aimee.
On Saturday morning, Aimee said, “I promised Chloe I would help her make cookies for the reception after the spring chorale. I’m going to bring her over here for the afternoon.”
Not looking at her mother, Samantha asked, “What kind of cookies are you going to make?”
“I’ll help her make two kinds so her plate will have a variety. She needs to take four dozen cookies. What ones do you think will go over well with the students?”
“Everybody likes brownies.”
“Those are easy to make,” Aimee agreed. “We’ll make a pan of those. What else?”
“What about the peanut-butter ones with a chocolate kiss on top?” Samantha suggested.
“Oh, you mean peanut blossoms! That would be a good choice—they’re pretty cookies, as well as yummy. I’ll call Chloe and tell her I’ll come for her about one o’clock. Do you want to ride to her house with me?” Aimee invited.
“No.”
“If you want to go along when I take her
home, after we drop Chloe off at her house, we’ll stop for burgers and fries.”
“Okay,” Samantha said, and Aimee smothered a grin. Samantha never turned down a visit to a fast-food restaurant.
Aimee had expected Samantha to stay in her room during the cookie baking, and she was surprised when she and Chloe returned to find Samantha in the family room watching television.
“Hi, Samantha,” Chloe said. Aimee held her breath, hoping that Samantha wouldn’t shun Chloe’s natural friendliness.
“Hi back atcha,” Samantha said. She turned off the TV and came into the kitchen. She went to the fridge and took out a can of pop.
“Want something to drink, Chloe?” Samantha asked.
“Not right now, but maybe later. I want to get started on the cookies. I know how to make Rice Krispies squares, but that’s all. Grandma does all the baking.”
“Mom and I used to make cookies together,” Samantha said, and Aimee thought she noted a hint of nostalgia, or was it remorse? That was one of the first things Samantha had stopped doing with her mother.
“Maybe you can help me,” Chloe suggested.
“Not much I can do with only one hand.”
“We’ll think of something,” Aimee said. “If these sound good to you, Chloe, you can make brownies and peanut-butter cookies with chocolate kisses on them.”
“Suits me,” Chloe approved.
“Which one do you want to do first?” Aimee asked.
“Brownies,” Chloe said promptly. “I’ve watched Grandma make them.”
Aimee had made copies of the recipes in big print on the computer, and she handed the brownie recipe to Samantha.
“It will be easier for Chloe if you read the recipe aloud, step by step.”
“Yes,” Chloe agreed. “I’m nervous as all get-out. Face it—I may make a mess of things.”
“You won’t,” Aimee assured her. “I’ve set out the flour, sugar and other ingredients and several bowls, a baking dish for the brownies and two cookie sheets,” Aimee explained as she sat on a stool at the serving bar. “I’ll be here for advice, but I want you to do everything.”
Chloe turned on the faucet, soaped her hands and washed them thoroughly. “Well, here goes,” she said. “So what do I do first, Samantha?”
“Spray the pan with shortening and dust the bottom lightly with flour,” Samantha read.
Aimee watched as they went step by step through the recipe in perfect harmony until Chloe slid the baking pan into the oven. “What’s next?”
“The brownies will be baked by the time you have the first sheet of drop cookies ready for the oven,” Aimee told her.
“Say, Chloe,” Samantha asked, “can I put the chocolate kisses on the cookies? I can do that with one hand.”
“Yeah. The picture shows the kisses right in the middle of the cookie. My hands are kinda shaky. I’d probably stick them on every which way.”
“Don’t forget, you don’t put the kisses on until the cookies have baked fifteen minutes or so,” Aimee cautioned.
“Ten minutes, and then put them back in the oven to bake three to five more minutes,” Samantha corrected as she checked the recipe for the peanut blossoms.
After the cookies were baked and while they cooled enough to pack, Aimee helped the girls clean the countertops and put the dishes in the washer. “Do you want a tray or plate to hold the cookies when you take them to school?”
Chloe shook her head. “Grandma has a pretty tray that she’s had a long time. I want to use it. That way, she’ll have a part in this.”
“Then we’ll put these in a plastic container to keep them fresh until the chorale,” Aimee said. “Is your grandmother going with you?”
“Yes, unless her arthritis acts up.”
“If you need a ride, let me know,” Aimee said. “Now we’d better get you home before your grandmother starts worrying about you.”
“She never worries when I’m with you.” Chloe took a phone from her pocket. “I’ll call and tell her I’ll be home soon. That way, she’ll know when to start supper.”
Samantha shuffled her feet. “Why can’t Chloe eat burgers and fries with us, Mom?”
Without flicking an eyelash, Aimee said, “That’s a good idea, and we could buy a burger plate for you to take home to your grandmother. Tell her not to prepare anything for either of you.”
Aimee credited part of this change of heart on Samantha’s part to the fact that she and her two best friends weren’t being allowed to hang out together as much as they used to, and their phone conversations were limited, too. No doubt Samantha was lonely. But whatever had caused the change, Aimee was overjoyed to know that Samantha’s attitude toward Chloe had improved considerably.
That problem seemed to be partially settled, but would Samantha ever accept Jacob?
Chapter Fourteen
“Hi, Jacob,” Aimee said when he answered his phone. “Seems like it’s been a long time since we’ve had any time together.”
“Tell me about it! I wanted to ask you out, but I know how busy you are.”
“I’m going to the school chorale on Tuesday evening to hear Chloe sing. Would you like to go with me? Samantha will be there because she and Madison are ushers. They have to be at the school early, so Mrs. Toney is going to drop by and get Samantha.”
“I do want to see the program, and Chloe needs all of the support she can get. Besides, I’ve missed seeing you. I’ll stop by and pick you up. Does Chloe need a ride to the chorale?”
“No, a neighbor is taking Chloe and her grandmother. We should leave here soon after six. There will probably be a crowd and parking will be difficult.”
“I’ll be there by six.”
Aimee knew that by going to the chorale with Jacob, she was opening a door of conjecture about their relationship to many people she’d worked with in the educational system. But she didn’t intend to lose any sleep over it.
On Tuesday evening, when she opened the door to his knock, Jacob pulled her into a slight embrace.
“I’ve missed you. How long has it been since I’ve seen you?”
“I was at church Sunday.”
“That doesn’t count.”
He still had his arms around her, and Aimee realized she was content to lean on him. She looked into his expressive eyes, trying to determine what his feelings were toward her. “We have to leave or we’ll be late,” she said reluctantly.
“I know, but it’s frustrating,” Jacob said. “We’ve known each other three months, and I can count on one hand how much quality time we’ve had together.”
“But both of us have obligations to others, and if I read my Bible correctly, that’s the way it should be. Christians are supposed to put the needs of others above their own desires. I have my parents and Samantha. You have Gran and your clients. Both of us have the Siblings. But I truly believe that if we fulfill those obligations, God will give us time for ourselves.”
“I know you’re right, but I want to see you more often,” Jacob said somewhat peevishly. “Let’s go.”
Madison and Samantha greeted them at the door of the auditorium. Samantha spoke politely to Jacob, and Aimee couldn’t tell from her expression what she thought. The girls guided them to empty seats, and while they waited for the program to start, Aimee introduced Jacob to several of her coworkers, not surprised that many of them already knew him.
The chorale had a spring theme, and consisted of old songs, such as “In the Good Old Summertime,” “Easter Parade,” several classical selections and a medley of modern songs. Aimee was delighted when Chloe sang a short solo in one of the modern selections. Her eyes sought Aimee’s as she sang, and Aimee realized that Chloe had deliberately kept this secret as a gift to her.
After the chorale, Jacob and Aimee hurried to the front of the auditorium to speak to Chloe. Her eyes were bright with happiness and she returned Aimee’s hug.
“I was very proud of you,” Aimee said.
“It made my day when our
director asked me to sing. I owe it all to you,” Chloe said softly.
“Oh, no. God gave you the voice.”
“But I wouldn’t have had the nerve to try out if you hadn’t told me I could do it.”
“And from now on,” Jacob added, “you’ll not be afraid to try new things. Aimee and I will keep in touch with you to be sure that you do.”
Madison and Samantha joined them, accompanied by Mrs. Toney.
“Whoo-hoo! Chloe,” Madison said. “Your song was super,” and Samantha halfheartedly agreed. Although she knew she shouldn’t even hint at the possibility, Aimee hoped that Chloe’s acceptance in the choir might open the door for Samantha to befriend her.
“If you have other plans,” Mrs. Toney said to Aimee, “I can drop Samantha off at home.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Jacob said. “Aimee came with me—Samantha can ride home with us.”
Samantha was silent most of the way home, and when they went in the house, she said, “Thanks for bringing me home, Mr. Mallory. See ya round! ’Night, Mom.”
When Aimee went downstairs, Jacob smiled and lifted his brows significantly. But Aimee shrugged her shoulders. “I’ve learned that I can’t outthink a teenager,” she said quietly. “Her good behavior might be a lull before the storm, or a ploy to wheedle something out of me.”
Jacob drew her into his arms. He pulled her head down on his shoulder and smoothed her hair with his hand. Aimee marveled at how safe she felt with him. She wanted to tell him that just being with him was comforting. But when she lifted her head to speak, he silenced her with a kiss.
When he released her lips after an endless moment, she murmured, “Thank you, Jacob.”
She raised her eyes to find him watching her with a gaze as sweet as a caress. “Thank me for what?”
“For kissing me.”
He laughed softly, and when he started to speak, she said, “No, let me get this said before I lose my nerve.” She swallowed. “For several years I’ve doubted if I was capable of feeling—of sensing any kind of emotion, but I know better now. When you kiss me, I feel alive.” She stopped short of explaining the depth to which he had stirred her emotions.
