Rent-A-Dad

by Judy Christenberry

  After washing her face, she walked next door. It was time to bring Mandy home and get on with her life.

  Mrs. Tuttle answered her knock, a surprised expression on her face. “Why, Melissa, what are you doing home so early?”

  “Russ had to work and I missed Mandy too much to stay all weekend. How is she?”

  “Why, she’s fine, dear. Come right in. It’s lunchtime and Natalie is feeding her chicken and rice and carrots, her favorites. We’ve prepared sandwiches for us. I’ll fix you one, too.”

  Before Melissa could protest that she couldn’t eat anything, Mrs. Tuttle rushed ahead of her to the kitchen. She followed, desperately needing to see her daughter.

  “Ma-ma-ma-ma!” Mandy shrieked when Melissa entered, reaching out her little arms.

  Melissa thought all her tears had been shed, but Mandy’s reception touched her heart. “Oh, baby, I missed you so,” she exclaimed, kissing the top of Mandy’s head. “How are you?”

  “She’s got carrots smeared all over her. Be careful,” Natalie warned cheerfully. “What are you doing home? Didn’t trust us with Mandy?”

  “Of course I did,” Melissa replied, not wanting to hurt the women’s feelings. “But I missed her, and Russ had more work than he’d thought. So I came home.”

  She was determined to keep her explanation simple and as close to the truth as she could.

  “You could’ve gone sightseeing,” Mrs. Tuttle suggested. “You’ve never been there before. I went to the Art Institute once. It’s a fine museum.” She was busily preparing another sandwich.

  “Yes, I’ve heard it is. But I really did miss Mandy.”

  Natalie smiled. “I can understand that. She’s a wonderful child. So happy.”

  “Yes, I’m very fortunate.” Melissa meant that—and intended to keep reminding herself of her good fortune. She wouldn’t fall into the trap again of becoming a martyr. She and her child would live life joyfully. Without Russ.

  “Here, child, sit down and eat. You look tired,” Mrs. Tuttle said with a frown.

  “I don’t care for air travel,” Melissa told her, hoping those words would explain her pale face and red eyes.

  Natalie told a tale about getting airsick, but Melissa barely heard it. Her mind raced with thoughts of the past twenty-four hours.

  When the phone rang, she looked at her watch. Almost twelve-thirty. Russ would be home by now. But he didn’t know Mrs. Tuttle’s number. It couldn’t be him.

  Mrs. Tuttle answered the phone.

  “Why, yes, Russ, she’s right here.”

  And she handed the phone to Melissa.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  RUSS HELD HIS BREATH until he heard Melissa’s voice. After he’d arrived home from the office and read her note, he’d been afraid he’d lost her completely.

  “Melissa? Are you all right?” he asked now.

  “Yes.”

  Her voice sounded weak, as if she were ill.

  “Sweetheart, what happened? Why did you leave? I don’t understand.”

  “I’m having lunch with Mrs. Tuttle and Natalie.”

  It took him a moment to realize the non sequitur was her way of telling him she couldn’t talk in front of other people.

  Okay. “How’s Mandy?”

  “She’s fine.”

  Frustration filled him. He knew he wasn’t going to get much conversation out of her while she was at Mrs. Tuttle’s. And probably not when she was home, either. Something had gone wrong, and she didn’t want to talk to him.

  It didn’t take much guessing to figure out what that something was. He’d rushed her, taking her to bed the minute she got within touching distance. He should have known she needed more time, but all he had thought of was his burning need for her.

  “Melissa—”

  “I have to go now.”

  “Right.” What else could he say? Insist she talk to him? There was no time. Before he could say anything else, she hung up the phone.

  It didn’t matter, anyway. This wasn’t something that could be resolved over the phone. He dialed another number and asked for the first plane heading to Casper.

  He intended to be on it.

  * * *

  “IS EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT?” Natalie asked. “You look pale.”

  “Everything’s fine. Mandy and I need to go home.”

  “Now, dearie, you sit down and eat your sandwich,” Mrs. Tuttle insisted. “You don’t want to pass out. You might be carrying Mandy.”

  With a sigh, Melissa sat back down. Fine. She’d eat. What difference did it make, anyway? She’d never hear from Russ again.

  She’d known it was over when she heard the other woman’s voice. No wonder Russ had made sure he’d had a condom at hand.

  Well, she was home. And she’d stay home. No more gallivanting off to strange cities, no chasing after dreams, no— “Did Russ finish his work?”

  Melissa stared at Mrs. Tuttle, trying to understand her question. “Oh. Oh, yes, he did.”

  “I bet he wishes you’d stayed,” Mrs. Tuttle said with a chuckle. “You know, they have a great aquarium right there on the lake. You could’ve seen that, too.”

  “Yes.” Melissa took a bite of her sandwich in self-defense. Until she ate something, she’d be stuck here making conversation, when all she wanted to do was hide.

  “When will Russ come for another visit?”

  “I doubt that he will. He was only here because of the auction, remember? That’s all finished, so I imagine he’ll get on with his life in Chicago. He has an interesting job, you know.” She was babbling like an idiot.

  “What kind of work does he do?” Natalie asked.

  Melissa barely got through the next half hour, each agonizing moment of it. Finally, she thanked Mrs. Tuttle for her lunch and gathered Mandy and her belongings. “Thank you so much for keeping her while I was gone. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  Mrs. Tuttle hugged her. “That’s what grannies are for, Melissa. I may only be an honorary granny, but I take my job seriously.”

  Melissa tried a smile. “Mandy couldn’t have a better granny.”

  “And I’ll be just as good a granny to your other children. After all, Russ doesn’t have a mother, either.”

  Melissa stared at the elderly lady, her heart breaking all over again at the loss of her dreams.

  * * *

  THE FLIGHT TO CASPER seemed incredibly slow. Russ wanted to get out and push the plane to speed things up. He’d realized something had gone wrong, of course, but Melissa’s voice had him even more worried.

  He wanted to reassure her, to beg her to forgive him, to hold her.

  He gave himself a stern warning. That was the reason she’d fled in the first place. He’d put the part about the hotel in his note so she’d know he didn’t expect her to fall into bed with him every minute of her stay.

  He hadn’t wanted to apologize for what had been a glorious event. Their lovemaking had meant everything to him. The feeling of oneness, the emotional commitment. But they hadn’t talked, and until they did, he didn’t want her to think it had just been sex and nothing else.

  Obviously a note hadn’t been the right approach to take.

  She’d left.

  “Please let her forgive me,” he whispered in prayer.

  The pilot’s voice came over the intercom. “We’ll be landing in ten minutes. Please fasten your seat belts.”

  His was already fastened. He’d been ready since he got on the plane.

  All he had was a carry-on bag. He’d have to return to Chicago, of course, to pack everything up, but he hadn’t wanted anything to slow him down today. S
tanding at the baggage claim for half an hour wouldn’t be something he could tolerate.

  At his meeting earlier today, he’d told his boss he was leaving the firm. It was flattering that the man had appeared upset and offered him an increase in salary if he’d stay, but Russ had declined.

  His boss had asked him to meet with him again on Monday to discuss his decision. Russ had agreed, thinking he’d be in Chicago. Now he didn’t know when he’d go back. It depended on Melissa. He wasn’t leaving until they’d settled their difficulties.

  And he was coming back for good as soon as possible.

  He’d been financially responsible since he’d gotten his first job, saving and making investments. He had considerable resources, plus his vested pension with the company. He was well-prepared for the change in his life.

  There had been a lot of changes since he’d first come back to Wyoming. The call from his mother on Thursday was a major one. He’d spent the rest of the day getting to know the woman who’d left him at the Lost Springs Ranch.

  And her husband and two children.

  He had two half sisters, fifteen and seventeen. They seemed well-adjusted, happy teenagers. His stepfather was a good man. He’d met Russ’s mother, Emily, after she’d pulled her life together, gone back to school and then taken a job as a secretary.

  Before they’d married, she’d told him about giving up her son. He had offered to help her find Russ, to adopt him, but she’d refused.

  Melissa had been right. His mother had suffered for her actions. She’d believed she didn’t have the right to interfere in his life again, and she’d punished herself ever since she’d abandoned her son.

  Russ and his mother hadn’t wiped out the pain of those years, but they’d made a start. And he intended to keep in touch. Of course, he wouldn’t be living in Chicago now, but he would visit. And he would invite them to Wyoming.

  He’d intended to share all that had happened with Melissa. To thank her for leading him toward that reconciliation. To introduce her to his new family.

  The plane touched down on the tarmac and he stowed away all those thoughts. It was time to focus on Melissa. Time to organize his thoughts, to prepare an apology. It was time to come home.

  He had to be patient when the crowds began making their way off the plane. An older lady needed assistance getting a huge carry-on bag down from the overhead bin. He handled it easily and carried it up the aisle for her. It was faster that way.

  When they reached the terminal, he thankfully handed it to her son and strode through the airport at a speed just short of an all-out run. He had the back door of the taxi open before the driver even saw him.

  Once he’d given the driver the address, it was all he could do not to urge the man to speed. But he wanted to get there safely.

  When the cab came to a stop, he shoved money into the driver’s hand, grabbed his bag and got out, muttering a hasty thanks over his shoulder. Then he raced for the front door of Melissa’s house.

  Finally, he was here.

  * * *

  MELISSA HAD SPENT the afternoon working through her depression. She had to get over this silliness. There had never been a future with Russ. She’d known that.

  So why was she feeling so bereft, as if someone had died?

  Was it because her unreasonable hopes and dreams had crashed? Maybe they needed a respectful burial, she decided. “I wonder if I should order a wreath,” she muttered at the bizarre thought.

  Strangely enough, she felt a certain sympathy for the woman on the phone. She, too, would be heartbroken when she discovered Russ had slept with Melissa.

  If she found out. Maybe Russ intended something permanent with the other woman. That thought was painful, too. But then everything was today.

  Mandy was down for her nap and Melissa had put in a load of clothes to wash. She’d already cleaned her little house. She didn’t have any paperwork to do for the office. What was she going to do now?

  She began pacing her living room, trying to blank out her thoughts, but she wasn’t successful. She relived the time in Russ’s arms minute by agonizing minute, a terrible longing filling her.

  It took several knocks on her door before she realized someone was there. Expecting Mrs. Tuttle, she swung it open without hesitation.

  “Russ,” she gasped. Then tried to close the door in his face.

  He would have none of it.

  Grabbing the door, he forced it back and stepped inside. For a moment they simply stared at each other.

  “What are you doing here?” She tried to make her voice sound firm, in control, but the words came out weak and whispery.

  “We need to talk.”

  Oh dear. Her heart sank. He must have realized she’d found out about the other woman. Was he going to tell her the woman didn’t matter to him? That he’d just “had sex” the night before she got to town?

  “No! There’s no need. I don’t want to discuss it.”

  He stepped closer and she moved back. “But if we don’t discuss it, how can we work things out?”

  “We can’t,” she muttered bleakly, shifting her gaze from his face. It hurt too much to look at him. “I made a mistake. I’ll deal with it.”

  He grabbed her shoulder. “It wasn’t a mistake, Melissa. It was—it was wonderful! Look, I know I rushed you, but I promise I won’t make that mistake again. You can have more time. After—”

  “No!” She wrenched herself from his hold and turned her back on him. “Is that what you told her, too?”

  He said nothing, and it was all Melissa could do not to turn and see if he looked as guilty as she imagined him to be.

  “Her?” he finally asked.

  Now she did turn around. She couldn’t end this like a coward. And she had to end it. “Please, Russ, don’t bother lying. I was there when she called.”

  “Who called? What are you talking about?” He truly sounded bewildered, but she wasn’t going to fall for that. Not after hearing the woman’s voice.

  “I don’t know her name. She didn’t leave it in the message. I’m sure she thought you’d know who it was since you’d obviously been together the night before.” After a big gulp of air, she added, “She probably didn’t realize how busy you’ve been.”

  He frowned, as if still trying to figure out who had called. “Look, Melissa, I’m not in high school. I never said I haven’t had other lovers. But there hasn’t been anyone recently. Certainly not since I spent time with you and Mandy.”

  She laughed, her voice cracking. “Right!” And she’d thought him an honest man, if nothing else.

  “Is this woman’s call the reason you left? You weren’t upset that we made love last night?”

  “It doesn’t matter anymore, Russ. It’s over. I just want you to leave.”

  “No, I won’t. What we have is important, Melissa. I won’t give up without a fight.”

  She stared at him, still loving the look of him, his strength, his determination, the passion in his gaze. “There’ll be no fight, Russ. You see, you’ve already tripped yourself up. The woman said she was with you Thursday night, not weeks or months ago. The night before I arrived.” She closed her eyes and turned away from him. “She said she loves you! As much as I—”

  “Whoever she was, she was lying,” Russ assured her, pulling her back against his broad chest, holding her there. “And I can prove it.”

  “No, you can’t. Even if the date is wrong, I heard it in her voice, Russ! She loves you, desperately!”

  “What exactly did she say?” he suddenly asked, a strange note in his voice.

  “I—I don’t remember.” She wasn’t about to repeat that damning message to him. “Didn’t you check your messages before you left?”

  “Why would I? You were the only person I wanted to hear from and you w
rote me a note. A damned note that said absolutely nothing.” Abruptly, he released her and walked past her to the kitchen.

  Surprised, she followed, reaching the room in time to see him dialing the phone. “What are you doing?”

  “Retrieving my messages.”

  She pulled out a chair and sat down at the table, uncertain whether her trembling legs would hold her up. She sneaked a look at his face, expecting to see consternation, at the very least, at being caught. Instead, he was smiling.

  He hung up the phone and turned to look at her, a strange expression on his face. “Were you about to say the woman loved me as much as you do?”

  Her face turned a bright red, but she wasn’t about to make that confession.

  “I hope it isn’t the same kind of love. I don’t want you for a mother.”

  His words didn’t pierce through her misery for several minutes. She stared at his smile, unable to comprehend what could be causing it. Then her gaze sharpened. “Mother? You don’t—I mean, you don’t know where your mother is.”

  “Yes, I do. I was going to tell you last night, but we got a little distracted.”

  “What? You’ve talked to your mother?”

  “My mother, my stepfather, my two half sisters. They’re pretty girls. You’ll like them.”

  He continued watching her as his words sank in. He had found his family. It had been his mother on the phone. Melissa thought through the words the woman had said, trying them out as a mother’s message rather than a lover’s.

  “I don’t believe you.”

  “I’m going to call Chicago, if that’s what it takes, but I’ll pay for the call,” he said calmly, picking up the phone and dialing a number.

  Why was he acting so strangely? she wondered. Why would he suddenly call Chicago?

  “Mother? It’s Russ,” he said when the connection went through. “Thanks for calling. Thursday night was great for me, too.”

  She froze. Could it really be true?

  “No, I can’t. I’m in Wyoming.” He paused, then said, “Yeah, that’s her. I couldn’t stay away. Would you like to say hi?” He turned and held out the phone. “Say hi to my mother, Emily Blackman.”