Coming Home: (Contemporary Christian Romance Boxed Set): Three Stories of Love, Faith, Struggle & Hope

by Debra Ullrick

  “You know, Keith.” His father stood, still looking at Vivian. Finally he put his full gaze on his son. “We’re going on vacation come Monday, and we’re needing someone to keep watch over things here while we’re gone.”

  “Oh, sure thing.” He nodded. “I’ll make sure everything stays on an even keel just like always.” Once again, he turned for the door, and this time he had his hand actually on the knob.

  “Uh, no,” his father said, stopping him. “I don’t think you understand.” When Keith turned, his father was looking at Vivian, obviously trying to get her to give up the crazy idea. Finally his father relented and stepped around the desk. “We want you to stay up here, in the main house and keep an eye on Peter and Isabella.”

  “Pete and Izzy? Isn’t that why you hired Maggie?”

  “Well, yes.” The battle to figure out a plausible lie was clear. “But she doesn’t even know her way around yet. I’d hate to dump all of this on her and take off.”

  Keith considered this a moment and then shrugged. “Well, I don’t mind if you don’t.”

  Anger flashed to the surface of his father’s demeanor. “Of course I don’t mind. What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It was a joke, Dad. You know a joke. Ha. Ha.” But no one was laughing.

  Vivian turned to him. “But you’ll do it then?”

  Again Keith shrugged. “What the heck. Sure.”

  “Careful down. Careful down.” Maggie stood at the foot of the ladder that stretched up into the playhouse above. Reading was fun, but their hour was gone. She was going to have to hurry to get them down for naps. Already Isabella was huddled into Maggie’s shoulder, sucking her thumb. Helping Peter down the last two steps, Maggie took his hand, and they started for the house.

  That house had a way of getting bigger every time she looked at it. She wondered how many rooms there actually were. Many more than she would ever be privy to visiting she was sure. She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind and stepped up to the door, which she opened and held for Peter.

  “Come on. We’d better get your sister down for her nap.” They crossed through the living room and were two steps into the entryway when from the other hallway the hired hand who seemed to be following her around met them at the stairs.

  “Well, hey there,” he said, and his easy smile was never far behind.

  “Hi.” She could feel her glasses sliding down on her nose, but she didn’t have enough hands to push them back up.

  He stepped over to her and ran his hand down Isabella’s back. “Tired little girl.”

  “We went in the playhouse,” Peter said at Maggie’s knee, and she looked down at him in surprise.

  The hired hand sat down on his heel so he was on Peter’s level. “I bet that was lots of fun. You being a good boy for Maggie?”

  Peter nodded, and Maggie fought not to notice the strength in the hand the guy reached out to ruffle Peter’s hair.

  “Good deal. Keep it up, sport.”

  Noise from down the hallway brought him to his feet, and Maggie’s attention snapped that direction. Side-by-side Mr. and Mrs. Ayer walked in.

  “Oh, Maggie. Good I’m glad we caught you,” Mrs. Ayer said.

  As Maggie turned to them, she felt Peter cowering behind her knee. Balance was a challenge what with Isabella now breathing softly on her chest and Peter’s arm wrapped around her leg. However, she anchored herself to the floor to keep from being buffeted by the two little ones.

  “We’re going out of town next week,” Mrs. Ayer said. “We’ve asked Keith to keep an eye on the place.”

  For a split second Maggie had the name with a question mark after it on her tongue, but before she could ask, the hired hand smiled at her. Her brain surged into gear. “Oh.” She fought to smile as six thousand different emotions cracked over her. “Great.”

  “I promise I won’t be too much of a pain,” he said, and when he smiled at her, she couldn’t stop her own from coming for real.

  Her gaze fell to the side. When she brought it up again, it was to look at Mrs. Ayer. “Just give Patty Ann the schedule you want for the kids. I’m sure we’ll be fine.” She wanted to say more. Her heart was jumping all over until in the swirl of emotions, she thought she might do something really stupid. “Well, I’d better get these two upstairs for their nap. We’re late.”

  Turning for the stairs carefully, she took hold of Peter’s hand. “Come on, Peter. You can help me put Baby Bella down.”

  Keith couldn’t help but watch the three of them all the way up the stairs. She was such a natural with the kids—not demanding or overbearing like the last three nannies they’d suffered through. No, Maggie had a genuine caring in her eyes. It was clear this wasn’t just a job for her. Depression tamped down over his heart when he remembered it couldn’t last. Certainly not with her less-than-perfect clothes and manner, and definitely not now that they had found whatever they’d found in her background. He wondered about that as she disappeared around the curve of the staircase to the level above.

  “Well, then it’s settled,” his father said, dragging Keith’s attention back to reality. “We leave for Miami Monday morning, and we’ll be back… when?”

  “The next Tuesday,” Vivian said as she folded her arms across her chest. She stared up the steps. “I hate to leave her alone like this.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Viv,” Keith said confidently. “I’ve got it covered.”

  Chapter Three

  “Ms. Montgomery,” Patty Ann, the prim, middle-aged lady with the stern face and the voice of stone said, stopping Maggie ten steps from the dining room that evening.

  Children dangled from her hip and her hand. “Oh. Yes, Ma’am.”

  “You’re late, Ms. Montgomery.”

  “Late?” Maggie pulled Peter’s hand up with her watch. “It’s two minutes ‘til.”

  “Yes. Dinner is at six. Arrival is prior to that so that dinner can be served promptly on time. You must understand. Mrs. Ayer is very particular about the timing of the day, and Mr. Ayer is a very busy man.”

  Maggie fought the urge to curtsey. “Yes, Ma’am. I understand. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

  There was disapproval all the way down to the tip of the long nose. “Make sure that it doesn’t.”

  That night, Maggie put the kids to bed right on schedule, then went to her own room to get herself ready for bed. However, before she could completely settle down for the night, she made one last little pilgrimage back to their rooms to check on them. It was a ritual she could get used to.

  Isabella was asleep, and Peter was waiting.

  “You’re supposed to be asleep, little prince,” she said as she knelt next to his bed.

  He rubbed his eye with a pudgy hand. “But we didn’t say our prayers yet.”

  His simple trust drilled through her heart. “Okay. Then we’d better get cracking, huh?”

  He closed his eyes, and she bent her head over his hand clasped in her two. “Dear Jesus, please be with us tonight. Keep us safe and give us good rest so we can have a great day tomorrow. Amen.”

  “Amen.” There was no stopping the bright smile he beamed at her. “’Night, Maggie.”

  “Good night, sweet prince.” She stood and ran her hand over his hair, gazing at him for one more moment. With a sigh she turned for the door. Quietly she let herself out of the room and slipped back across the hallway.

  At her own bed, she knelt down and let her head fall forward as her eyes fell closed. “God, I know today’s Sunday. I’m sorry I missed church. I just don’t think right now asking for time off is such a good idea. Maybe next week… when they’re gone.” Anxiety pinged into her heart, but she breathed it down. “Please be with us this week. Be with the kids, and be with me. Thank You, Father, for every good thing in our lives. Keep all the children in Your embrace, hold them, and wipe all tears from their eyes. Amen.”

  After she climbed in the bed and shut off the light, Maggie sank into the soft c
otton sheets. When she closed her eyes, his smile drifted through her thoughts. Him. Keith. It wasn’t fair to a girl’s heart for a guy to look that good.

  Frustrated with herself, she flipped over the other way. “Stop it, Maggie. Stay focused on what’s important here.” However, no lecture in the world could keep him from her dreams.

  Four days and she was out of everything. Blouses, pants, dresses, even underwear. Monday morning Maggie stood in her room looking into her empty suitcase wishing she had thought to ask Inez where to wash things. “Great. This is just wonderful.”

  She pushed her hair out of her face, bent and picked up the blouse she had worn the day before. “Well, at least they’re gone. Maybe I won’t get crucified this time.” Dressing quickly lest she let her spirit dive too far, her thoughts went to today and all the terror it held. “God, I’m asking here. Help me out, okay? I can’t make an idiot of myself when he’s around. Please.”

  Keith waited until eight o’clock to make his way up to the house. It wasn’t that he wanted to wait, but it was safer. This way his father and Vivian would be long gone, and the only two she-wolves he would have to contend with were Inez and Patty Ann. They were bad enough to make him question his sanity in going. Nonetheless the chance that he might get to see Maggie if he stopped in pulled courage into him.

  He went in the front door without knocking nor ringing the bell. Down the hallway he could hear voices in the kitchen, and he angled his steps that direction. As he broke into the sunshine streaming into the breakfast nook, his heart swelled. He was glad he’d come. “Good morning.”

  Isabella took one look up and slung her arms out toward him. “Keef!”

  “Hey, Izzy. Well, look how cute you are with this Cheerio stuck to your chin.” He reached down and wiped it away with his thumb. Normally he wouldn’t have had the guts to pick her up out of the high chair, but today, things were different. Today only Maggie was here, and in his heart he knew she wouldn’t mind. Carefully he slid the tray forward and pulled Izzy up into his arms.

  Like the angel she was, she wrapped her little arms all the way around his neck. He squeezed her, closing his eyes to breathe in her love. When the hug broke, he pulled back to look at her. “You are the cutest little thing I’ve ever seen.” He put her back into the high chair and slid the tray back into place.

  Turning to Peter he put a hand in the air. “And you, my man. What are you up to this morning?”

  “I petted the cat yesterday.”

  Surprise jumped through Keith. “No kidding? Wow. That’s awesome.” Then his gaze settled where it had wanted to since he’d first taken in the scene. She had a way of looking unkempt and completely beautiful at the same time. The clip in her hair only held half of it, and the other half was streaming down around her head and shoulders, shining in the sunlight at her back. “Morning, Maggie.”

  “Morning.” She seemed to shrink back into the window seat where she sat. “Umm… Inez went into town for groceries. I haven’t seen Patty Ann yet. I think Jeffrey is supposed to be working on the front flower beds, but I haven’t seen him yet either.”

  “Oh, cool.” Keith took a handful of Cheerios from the box and tossed them in his mouth. “You got lots planned today?”

  Trepidation trounced across her features. “Piano for Peter, and baby and mom gymnastics for Is.”

  “Baby and mom? Isn’t that gonna be a little hard considering mom is in Miami?” He sat down in one of the chairs between Peter and Isabella. Leaning back, he watched Maggie intently.

  “Well, I guess I’m kind of filling in.”

  That was one way of putting it. He took another handful of Cheerios. “So, you get all settled in and everything?”

  She nodded. “I think I’m good.”

  “Good deal. Glad to hear it.” On his belt his small cell phone beeped. In one motion he pulled it up and turned it on. “This is Keith.”

  Maggie had the distinct impression she was going to suffocate. His presence seemed to fill the whole room. He was talking on the phone. Somebody named Ike although she was trying not to listen. When he beeped the phone off, he stood.

  “Time to get to work.”

  “Oh.” She looked up and had to readjust her glasses which she was sure were cockeyed. “Well, don’t worry about us. We’ll be fine.”

  His gaze narrowed on her, and concern slammed into her.

  “Tell you what,” he said. He turned for the kitchen, rummaged through one drawer and came back with a pencil and a piece of paper. “Here’s my number. If you need anything, you let me know.”

  “Oh.” Surprised, she fought to recover enough sanity to sound semi-intelligent. “Okay.” He handed it over to her with that smile, and her head spun on the lack of air. “Thanks.”

  “No problem.” On his heel he turned back for the kids. “Give me five, slugger.” Peter did as instructed. Keith stepped over to Isabella. “You be a good girl for Maggie. Hear me?”

  “Keef!” Isabella squealed.

  “Yeah, Keef.” He laughed and ruffled her hair. “Well, take it easy. I’ll be back for dinner tonight unless I hear from you before that.”

  “We’ll be fine,” Maggie said, willing her voice not to crack.

  “Good to know. See ya.”

  “Yeah,” she said when he was gone. “See ya.”

  “Ugh. Must you wear that dirty thing in the mansion?” Patty Ann asked as Keith got to the front door.

  Getting away that easy was too good to be true. He knew it, and yet he had hoped… Slowly he turned, his hand still on the doorknob. “You have a problem with my hat?”

  “Yes. I have a problem with it.” She looked like a withered principal about to pronounce punishment on him. “Dirt has no place in the mansion.”

  Keith shook his head without really shaking it. “Now, now, Patty Ann, there’s no need to get personal.”

  The tailored, black suit, the haughty, condescending face, the click of her tongue to emphasize her disapproval of him—they all added up to one thing in Keith, resolve not to hear another thing from her.

  “Mr. Ayer,” she said with all the self-importance of a dictator.

  Keith held up his hand. “Wait. Stop. Right there.” He waited a beat to make sure she had stopped, then he wound his finger as if rewinding a tape. “Say that part again.”

  Her eyes narrowed into little slits. “What part?”

  “You know. The part about Mr. Ayer.” The arrow went right through her puffed up pride. “Yeah. Uh-huh.” He had lived life for five years under her shoe, but that was then, and then was gone. “Let’s get one thing straight, shall we? I am not someone you can boss around just because you think you own this place. You don’t. If it were up to me, your bags would already be packed and on that front step—or better yet in the driveway.

  “Now you may think you can run my father and Vivian, and maybe you do. But you do not run me, so while I’m here, while I’m in charge, I think it’s in your best interest to lay low and stay as far out of sight as possible.” His thoughts traveled down the hallway to an innocent bystander who was about to get run over. “And, let me make this very clear. You are not to go near Maggie or the kids this week. They are off-limits.”

  “Mr. Ay…”

  “No.” The stone-hardness of the word slammed her protest into a brick wall and smashed it into a thousand pieces. “I’m watching, and I’m listening, and if you so much as breathe on them wrong, you will be toast the minute Dad and Vivian step back through this door.” He let those words sink in. “Are we clear on that?”

  It took her an eternity of seconds, but finally, angrily, she nodded.

  “Good.” He reached up and tipped his hat. “Then have a nice day, Patty Ann.”

  Somehow Maggie made it through the rest of the day without thinking about him too much. At least that’s what she would’ve told anyone who had asked. The truth was, every sound she heard in the house brought the anxious excitement that had come to punctuate every encounter she’d
had with him.

  At six o’clock sharp she set the children in the formal dining room, napkins and three forks all in place.

  Inez stepped in. “Do you want to go ahead or should we wait, Ma’am?”

  Ma’am. The word cracked Maggie backward. “I think we’ll just go ahead. He might have decided not to come after all.”

  When Inez nodded and turned back for the kitchen, Maggie wondered which would be worse—if he didn’t show up or if he did. They’d made it through the day with no mishap major enough to warrant hailing him on the cell phone. That was a good thing. At least he wouldn’t think she was completely incompetent.

  “Sorry. Sorry. I didn’t realize it was so late.” Keith made his entrance without really making it. One minute he wasn’t there. The next minute he was.

  “Keef!” Isabella said excitedly.

  “Hey, baby girl.” He took the seat across from Maggie, right next to Peter.

  Inez followed him in, holding the serving platter. She set it on the table.

  “It looks wonderful,” Keith said.

  “Will there be anything else?”

  “Looks great.”

  Inez bowed and walked out.

  “Well.” Keith breathed the word as if he had been running a marathon right up to the moment he sat down. He reached for the serving spoon, and Maggie gasped softly. His gaze jumped to her. “What?”

  She fought with her emotions to get a smile on her face. “Shouldn’t we say grace first?”

  “Oh, of course.” His hand fell back to his lap, and he bent his head obediently.

  “Father, bless this food and all those gathered here. Please keep Peter and Isabella’s mommy and daddy safe on their trip, and let them come back soon. Amen.”

  “Amen.” His gaze slid up to hers, and she couldn’t read what was written there. In the next breath he was serving everyone as Maggie passed him Isabella’s plate and then worked to cut up the food for Isabella.

  She did her level best not to stare at him. He looked wholly out-of-place in this room. Somehow the chandelier and the bandana didn’t scream complementary. As they ate, she kept her gaze on her plate or helped Isabella.