The lines on Jessica’s brow smoothed. “What do you do?”
“I’m a photojournalist, with a particular interest in wildlife photography.”
Mitch, who’d been concentrating on getting potatoes into EmJay’s mouth, turned toward her, obviously interested. “You take pictures of animals?”
She nodded. “My favorites this time were three black Brazilian jaguars. For days I watched a mother and her cubs. At times I was so close I could hear them breathing.”
Everyone began asking questions, which Cory fielded easily. She was in her element, confident now, not a stranger trying to steal a baby. At one point, Amanda brought her a plate of food, and Cory began eating. With Amanda were the dark-haired toddler and the blond boy, who seemed to be her children. That means she and Mitch will have three when her baby comes, Cory thought. Why do they want EmJay as well?
During a lull in the conversation, Kerrianne’s daughter, whose name Cory couldn’t remember but who reminded her of a blonde porcelain doll, spoke. “Uncle Mitch has a lot of animals. He carries them around and lets us play with them.”
“He does,” confirmed Amanda’s son, Kevin. He was seated next to the man named Blake, who now had the dark-haired escape artist on his lap. “Did you bring one today, Uncle Mitch? I hope you brought Hiccup.”
Mitch grinned, and Cory was shocked at the change in his brooding features. He really was quite handsome when he wasn’t trying to kill her with evil stares. “Well,” he said, “Hiccup’s busy with her babies, so she couldn’t come. But Dizzy wasn’t doing anything, so I brought her.”
“Mitchell,” his mother warned in a low voice. “We’re eating.”
“Dizzy has to eat, too.” To the children’s delight, Mitch shifted EmJay to his other leg, reached into the pocket of a jacket that hung over his chair, and pulled out a small plastic ball. A little brown creature with a white stripe down the center of its face scurried around inside.
“Mitchell!” Jessica Huntington’s voice rose to a high pitch.
Amanda popped up from her seat next to Jessica. “She’s right, Mitch. We’re eating. Put it away now.”
“But everyone’s almost through.”
“Don’t mess with me, I’m pregnant.”
Sighing, Mitch put the animal back, and the children groaned with disappointment. “In a minute,” he promised.
Cory chuckled to herself. This was quite a family!
Emily Jane began wriggling to get down. “Okay,” Mitch said, watching her toddle a few steps away. “But don’t go far.”
“Right. Like she ever gets out of your sight,” Amanda said with a snort.
Mitch’s grin wavered. “She just wants to make sure I don’t leave.” He sent an unreadable glance at Cory.
“You know what he did?” Amanda continued in a conspiratorial voice. Cory leaned toward her over the table to catch every word. “He borrowed Kerrianne’s toddler bed.” Amanda glanced at her mother to include her in the conversation. “You know, the one she made for Misty before Benjamin was born, and he set it right next to his bed.”
“Hey, it’s low enough to the ground that she can get in and out when she wants,” Mitch said. “The portable crib was like a prison for the kid.”
Amanda giggled. “Don’t let him fool you, Cory. He did it so he could hold her hand at night if she wakes up. Isn’t that sweet?”
“It’s so I can get some sleep,” he growled. “So we can both get some sleep.”
“I still say it’s sweet,” Amanda said. “Sounds like something Kerrianne or I would do.”
Cory thought it was sweet, too. She tried to picture the tall man lying on a bed with his hand extended to comfort EmJay in the night. Did he really do that? By the embarrassed flush on his face, he did.
Cameron had listened with interest to the conversation. Now he said, “He gets it from me. I can’t tell you how many times I used to sneak into your rooms to sing to you after your mother put you down for the night.”
“I remember that,” Mitch said.
Jessica shook her head. “Sorry, dear, but you didn’t fool anyone by all that tiptoeing. I heard you every time.”
“Did you?” His surprise caused a flurry of chuckles.
Cory was glad for the happiness she saw here. She hadn’t known what to expect at this memorial service but had worried about keeping her composure. With this family, it was hard to believe that AshDee wasn’t simply waiting for her in the next room.
“Oh, I meant to tell you,” Cory said to Cameron as the laughter subsided. “I really enjoyed your song during the service. Thank you.” Again the attention shifted to her, and Cory wished she’d kept silent.
Cameron beamed. “You’re very welcome.”
“You have a wonderful voice,” she added. “I’m glad you chose that song.”
“I didn’t.”
Mitch cleared his throat. “It was Ashley’s favorite hymn. She sang it herself on the day she was baptized.” His words firmly reminded her that no matter how friendly these people seemed, or how deeply they had awakened her sense of family, she was not one of them.
“I didn’t know.” Indeed, there was too much about her sister that she didn’t know.
An awkward silence fell over their end of the table. Melancholy gripped Cory’s heart. She had the crazy desire to be here with this family and at the same time run as fast and far away from them as she could. What was it about them that was so attractive to her? Was it the same thing Ashley had felt?
It’s just a family, she told herself.
The room was quickly thinning of people, and a few came by to offer condolences to Mitch—and to Cory when they learned who she was. Cory thanked them for their stories. She knew she should call a taxi and find a motel, though she didn’t want to desert her niece. She was about to ask Mitch for his address, when Kerrianne sighed loudly.
“What’s wrong, dear?” Cameron put his arm around his daughter.
“I was thinking of Adam,” she said, “and how he’d be pulling out that stupid old guitar right now and playing songs.”
“Who’s to say he’s not doing it?” Cameron asked, his voice gentle. “Maybe that’s the music I’m hearing in my heart.” Kerrianne smiled through her tears and leaned into her father’s embrace.
Cory blinked in confusion, but Jessica explained. “Kerrianne’s husband was killed in a car accident a year and a half ago. Right before Christmas. Little Caleb was barely three months old. He was a wonderful man, and, as I’m sure you can imagine, it’s been difficult for her. Even knowing they’ll be together again someday.”
“I’m sorry,” Cory choked out in a barely audible voice. “I didn’t realize. I guess I’m a little mixed up. I thought Blake was her husband.”
Amanda laughed. “Oh, no. Blake’s my husband.”
“I thought you were—” Cory glanced at Mitch, who was watching EmJay as she wandered around the tables, dodging any hands that reached toward her.
Amanda laughed. “Mitch? You got to be kidding. He’s my brother!”
Now everything fell into place—the way Amanda kept running over to deal with the children near Blake and why Kerrianne was so quiet. And most of all why Mitch wasn’t willing to consider the possibility of her taking EmJay.
Cory turned to him. “You want to raise a baby alone?”
The anger flared again in his eyes, but his voice didn’t grow louder. “I’m not alone.” He indicated the others. “I have all the support I need. What about you? I don’t see your family here.”
“I don’t have any family left!” she snapped. “But that’s not what I meant. You’re a man.”
“Men can’t raise babies?” Mitch pointed to Blake. “He did. See that little boy, Kevin? Well, Kevin is his cousin’s son, but Blake raised him from the time he was a baby. Alone. That was long before he and Manda met. He had Mara a few months by himself as well before they were married. He’s done wonders with those children, and I can do the same. When I get married, it’ll
be to a woman like my sister who will love Emily Jane as much as I do. I admit when Emily Jane first came to me, I was scared and worried that I couldn’t do it. Wasn’t even sure if I wanted to. But I’ve learned an awful lot these past three weeks, and I know this is something I can do!”
“Three weeks,” she spat. “Three weeks! That’s nothing. This is a lifetime commitment! And when it boils down to it, blood is always thicker than friendship. AshDee was my sister, not yours.”
Mitch shook his head. “You haven’t got a clue what you’re saying. Lane and Ashley were not only my best friends. They were my sister and brother in the gospel, and I would give up my life for their child. Can you say the same?”
“Of—of course I would!” But despite the new love blossoming in her heart, Cory realized that she didn’t know EmJay enough to feel anything for her that wasn’t mixed up in her tumultuous emotions for AshDee. Logically, she knew it should be worth anything to have EmJay with her, but knowing wasn’t the same as feeling.
Cory knew she’d lost that round. “I’d better go,” she said, standing. “If you won’t listen to reason, then I guess my attorney will have to contact you.”
“Tell him to contact my lawyer.” Mitch came to his feet also, staring down at her with angry eyes.
“Look, EmJay is my niece,” Cory said, trying one last time. “My sister would have wanted me to raise her.”
He shook his head, which caused his hair to fall into his face. He raked it back impatiently. “That’s where you’re wrong. Lane and Ashley wanted more than anything for their daughter to know her Savior. To them that meant being raised a believer. They knew I would do that for them. And even if I somehow failed to teach her the gospel, Ashley still wanted me to have Emily Jane because she wanted to be sure her daughter would be loved no matter what choices she made down the road.”
“I loved my sister,” Cory retorted. “I always loved her! I know we both made mistakes in the past, but I’m here for EmJay now.”
“Now? Now?” Mitch threw up his hands, and for the first time his anger spilled from his voice like acid. “I’m the one who was with her when she was mourning her mother, when she wandered around my house searching each room sobbing ‘Momma, Momma.’ I’m the one who paced the floor with her as she cried every night for a week. Where were you then, huh? I’ll tell you—gallivanting after a Brazilian jaguar!”
“How dare you!” Cory clenched her fists. “I came as soon as I found out my sister was dead!”
Her last word reverberated loudly in the sudden quiet of the room. Cory became aware of everyone staring at her, various shocked expressions on their faces. She blushed furiously as she fought to hold back tears. Maybe she should be content that she had broken through the unnerving control Mitch seemed to have on his emotions, but she knew her own control had fared worse.
“I never should have come here today,” she muttered.
“Maybe you shouldn’t have,” Mitch agreed.
Wishing she dared slap his face, Cory seized her duffel bag and started for the door.
Chapter Nine
“Go after her!” Amanda hissed as Cory strode across the cultural hall.
Mitch’s gaze shifted to his family, all of whom were on their feet now, staring at him. His mother had her hands on her hips, lips pursed. His father was shaking his head. Mitch’s first urge was to defend his actions, but the sinking feeling in his gut told him he was in the wrong. Yes, Cory was wrong, too, but she hadn’t been taught better. On the other hand, he was an elder, a representative of the Lord in all times and in all places. Yet he’d let his anger control him.
“I know that right now you’re defending your rights to Emily Jane,” his father said, “but this isn’t about you—or that young woman.” He nodded at Cory’s retreating back.
Mitch blew out a long sigh. “It’s about Emily Jane.” He knew that intellectually, but that red-haired creature provoked more anger than any man could sanely endure.
“Your father’s right,” said his mother. “You have custody and should keep it, but there’s no sense in starting a war. It’ll only make things worse.”
Blake cleared his throat to attract their attention. “Take a gander at that.”
Mitch’s heart jumped as he glanced in the direction his brother-in-law was pointing. Between the door and the far table, Cory was kneeling down next to Emily Jane. Was she going to grab her and run? Mitch berated himself for taking his eyes from Emily Jane. His muscles poised to spring in their direction, silently signaling Blake and Tyler to follow.
Amanda read the communication. “Wait.”
Mitch waited, trusting his sister’s opinion. She was right. Cory wasn’t kidnapping the baby but only talking to her. The two heads, so different in size, had nearly the same odd, reddish orange hair. Their evident blood relationship caused a wave of guilt to surge in his chest.
“Go defuse the situation,” Blake advised. His voice, which many had said belonged on the radio, was warm and slightly amused.
Mitch didn’t need the urging. He was already wondering how Ashley would feel about the way he’d treated her sister. Granted, the woman was a royal pain in the neck, but he’d dealt with tough situations before. He should have controlled himself better.
Almost hesitantly, he traced Cory’s steps. Soon her words became audible. “Yep, and I’m going to tell you all about her. I have a hundred stories, you know. Some of them are quite funny. Your mom had a wonderful sense of humor. She was cute, too. Looked just like you. In fact, seeing you is like . . .” Her voice cracked and faded. Mitch could see she was crying. The freckles on her face stood out more clearly, and the tip of her nose was turning red. For some unidentifiable reason, his heart hurt.
Sensing his presence, she stared up at him, her blue eyes glistening with tears. Uncomfortable, Mitch avoided her gaze by looking at Emily Jane. The baby glanced at him and then took a step toward Cory, making a slight upward movement that signaled her desire to be carried. Cory sucked in a breath. She reached for Emily Jane and held her close. Leaving her duffel bag at her feet, she stood and gazed at Mitch uncertainly, wiping at a tear with her fingertips.
Mitch saw the way Emily Jane’s hand caught up in Cory’s hair, gently toying with the curls, and reminded him of how she’d done that with Ashley. For a long moment, he couldn’t speak or even breathe past the longing in his heart—longing for Emily Jane to have her mother alive and well.
“I’m sorry,” he said finally, fumbling in his pocket for the package of tissue he had learned to carry in case Emily Jane needing wiping. “Look, this isn’t about us, is it? It’s about Emily Jane. I want to fulfill Lane and Ashley’s wishes, but that doesn’t mean I want to exclude you from Emily Jane’s life. We’ll find a way to work something out. Please, let’s put all this behind us and think of Emily Jane.”
Cory accepted the tissue, a hint of a smile coming to her reddened lips. “You mean start over?”
He nodded and extended his hand. “Hi, I’m Mitch Huntington, and I have to admit that I’m really jealous you got to see Brazilian jaguars in the jungle.”
Now her smile became real. “Ah, I see. You’re jealous. That explains a lot.”
“Yes, I’m especially jealous of that dress. It reminds me of a finger painting I did in grade school, but unfortunately it didn’t look nearly as good as that dress does on you.” He blinked. “Oops, I probably shouldn’t have said that, should I? Sort of like giving ammunition to the enemy.”
Her smile faded. “I thought we were starting over.”
“We are,” he sighed, “but it’s going to be tough.”
She shrugged. “For now we’ll agree to disagree on the custody issue. Deal?”
He didn’t answer because something else demanded his attention. “Do you think tissue has any nutritional value?”
“Why?” She stared at him as though he’d gone crazy.
“Emily Jane likes to eat tissue—any kind of paper, really. Cardboard, too. Be warned.”
He pointed to the unused tissue in her hand. Emily Jane had been pulling on it and had succeeded in breaking off a large piece that was quickly heading to her mouth.
“She must be starving! Babies don’t eat paper.”
“Oh, yeah?” Mitch flashed his best all-knowing smile. “Emily Jane does—and she likes it, too.”
Cory pulled the tissue away, and Emily Jane’s face crumpled. She abruptly propelled herself in Mitch’s direction, sending Cory temporarily off balance. Mitch was grateful to have the baby back in his arms. What would he have done if she’d wanted to leave with Cory?
“So where do we go from here?” Cory’s blue eyes held his. He noticed that she had somehow managed to get a tan between all those freckles. Ashley had always tried to stay out of the sun.
“I’m not sure. Maybe we can sit down and talk about it. Get to know each other and see what our plans for the future might be. Then go from there. How long are you staying in Utah?”
“As long as it takes.” Once again her voice was hard.
“I thought we had a truce.”
She gave him a sardonic grin. “A few weeks at least,” she amended. “I actually left my last assignment not quite finished, but they’re going to work around me. I’m not sure when my next one will begin. I’ll have to talk to my agent.”
“You’re going back to the Amazon?” He felt a surge of excitement as he said the words. How he would love to visit the jungle!
“Yes. I’ll be there for an indefinite period of time.”
That brought Mitch forcefully back to reality. Was the jungle any place for a baby? What did she plan to do with Emily Jane while she was out chasing jaguars?
Biting his tongue, he didn’t allow himself the satisfaction of voicing these thoughts. He had offered a truce, however temporary, so for now he’d let it go. Maybe she’d come to realize the absurdity on her own as she came to know Emily Jane’s needs. Perhaps it would suffice to know that she could see Emily Jane whenever she was in the States. If not, there would be plenty of time for arguing later.
“Where are you staying?” he asked.
Huntington Family Series Page 38
