Family Ever After

by Margaret Daley

  He felt like a heel, and he really hadn’t done anything wrong. Is this how having children makes a person feel? No wonder he didn’t want to have anything to do with having a family.

  Cara brushed the child’s blond hair behind her ears. “I was coming over to take you to see Adam like I promised.”

  “We got tired of waiting for you.” Rusty’s pout returned in full force.

  “It’s only eight-thirty.”

  “We’ve been up for hours, dressed and ready to go.” The boy gnawed on the end of his thumb.

  “Did you get any sleep?” Cara peered from Lindsay to Rusty, such kindness in her eyes that Noah wished she would look at him like that.

  No! Strike that! I have no business thinking that.

  Rusty’s mutinous expression spoke volumes—that and the weary look in his eyes. Obviously they hadn’t slept at all. He could certainly have used a few more hours himself. After returning home last night, he’d been so keyed up that it had taken him several hours finally to fall asleep.

  Cara rose. “Let’s go see Adam. I’m sure he will be feeling a lot better this morning and will want to see you two.”

  Lindsay leaped to her feet and took Cara’s hand. Rusty stood reluctantly. He trudged behind Cara and Lindsay as they headed for her Chevy.

  After the children were secured in the car, Cara turned toward Noah and smiled. “Are you coming with us?”

  He was ninety percent sure he heard Rusty mutter no, but he took it as a challenge. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t do if he put his mind to it. “Yes. I’ll follow you to the hospital.”

  “See you there.” Cara slipped behind the steering wheel and pulled out onto the highway.

  Now why had he done that? He was committed to going to the hospital with two—no, make that three—children who weren’t too happy with him right at the moment.

  * * *

  Later that afternoon, a stale musky smell drifted to him as Noah stepped inside Adam’s house. Frantic barking accompanied him to the kitchen. Carefully he inched the door open to where Molly was kept. He thought he had prepared himself for the large puppy, but before he realized it she barged through the narrow gap and raced around the room, the barking so loud it echoed and bounced around in his brain.

  What possessed him to volunteer to pick up Molly while Cara took Rusty and Lindsay back to Stone’s Refuge?

  Finally the puppy paused, her tongue lolling to the side as she panted. After studying him for a few seconds, she rushed toward him and jumped up on him, pinning him back against the counter. She licked him everywhere she could reach. Thankfully she wasn’t full grown yet or his face would have been bathed. As it was, after he managed to disengage himself from her, his blue shirt was damp and her doggie smell stuck to his clothes—not a particularly pleasant scent.

  When Molly started to launch herself at him again, he quickly held her back. “Nice, Molly. Stay.” He added the last in a stern voice as if that would make a difference to the animal.

  Her tail wagging, she peered up at him as though he was her new best friend, her rescuer. Keeping his hand out, he surveyed the kitchen and didn’t see a leash.

  “What am I supposed to do?” he asked the mixed breed with a good dose of German shepherd in her.

  She barked once. He glanced toward the room where she stayed. With an eye on her, he sidled toward the door and flipped on the light. Other than two bowls, one with a few pieces of kibble and the other with an inch of water, the small space was vacant.

  He must have taken his attention off her because the next thing he realized the puppy nudged his hand, her cold nose buried in his palm. He’d never had a pet while he was growing up and he didn’t have one now. He wasn’t home enough to be a good pet owner, and if he did something, he always did it well. He definitely felt out of his element, but all he had to do was get Molly to the farm and Jacob and Peter could take over. They were naturals with animals.

  After sizing Molly up, he came to the conclusion there was only one way to get her to his car. He stooped over and slid his arms under her belly. Surprised at how much she weighed—at least fifty pounds, he guessed—he lifted the puppy, cradling her against his chest, and started for his Corvette.

  At the front door he struggled to open it with Molly in his embrace. He received a wet tongue in the face for his efforts. All he had to do was get her to his vehicle, and he would be home free. Again he mulled over how to get her inside the Corvette without letting her go. Pressing her against the car’s side, he held her in place with his body as he fumbled for the handle.

  He practically stumbled into the vehicle with the puppy tumbling out of his arms. He quickly slammed the door before she escaped. Between licking all around the open window she yelped, the sound chasing him all the way back to the house where he quickly locked up, then returned to the Corvette.

  Twenty minutes and he would be free to enjoy the rest of the afternoon at Stone Refuge’s barbecue. The occasional wet nose against his face spurred him to go a little faster than usual. He pulled into the farm sixteen minutes later and nearly drove off the road when Molly barked in his ear.

  “Are you determined I join Adam in the hospital?” he asked the animal.

  Another loud yap greeted his question, ringing in his head. He parked next to Peter’s truck. As Noah climbed from his Corvette, a mob of children surrounded him, preventing him from moving.

  The puppy bolted from the car, barreling through the mass of kids. “Molly!” He imagined having to tell Lindsay he’d lost her pet, so he dived toward the animal and landed facedown in the dirt.

  Laughter penetrated his dazed mind as he rolled over and looked up at all the giggling children. Cara’s face suddenly filled his vision, concern knitting her forehead. Not his finest moment.

  “Are you all right?” she asked over the children’s sounds of glee.

  The kids dispersed, leaving him relatively alone with Cara, who offered him assistance up. “Where’s Molly?” He scanned the area. “Did she run off?”

  Merriment danced in her eyes. “No, Peter caught her and put a leash on her, then took her to the barn where Rusty and Lindsay are.”

  He clasped her hand and let her tug him to his feet. “After the past few days’ exertion, my body is beginning to protest.” Rolling his head and shoulders, he released her grasp and immediately missed her touch—soft and warm, the complete opposite of the ground he’d encountered a moment before. “Where is everyone?”

  She pointed toward the barn. “When you pulled up, the kids were heading there to help feed the animals. Hannah and Laura are in the house with your foster mother, finishing up the food preparation.”

  “So Jacob and Peter are with the children?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then I guess I’d better join them.”

  “You can always help cook.”

  He splayed his hand over his heart. “Just because I own a chain of restaurants doesn’t mean I know how to cook beyond pizza and sandwiches.”

  Both eyebrows rose. “You don’t?”

  He shook his head. “I can make a few things, but I rarely eat at home. I’m usually at one of my restaurants. About the only time I get a home-cooked meal is when I visit Jacob or Peter. I’m thankful their wives are good cooks.”

  “That’s a shame.”

  “No, that’s just how things are.” He glanced toward the barn. “I’d better go check and see if they need any help.”

  As he limped away, Cara called out, “Thanks for picking up Molly.”

  He turned and backpedaled, warmed by the grin she gave him. “Any time I can be of service.”

  As he walked along the gravel road to the barn, he felt her gaze on him and wondered what she was thinking. He smiled when he remembered her in her apron, helping him up, a smudge of chocolate on her cheek. He’d been tempted to ki—wipe it off.

  His grin stayed on his face until he entered the cool interior, the scent of animals, hay and dirt accosting him. Confusion r
eigned with children racing past him, several climbing on the stall doors and one swinging on a rope. The noise level skyrocketed the longer he stood there in the middle of the barn.

  When Timothy rushed by him. Noah blocked the child’s path. “Where are Peter and Jacob?”

  Cara’s son, his blond hair sticking straight up in places, shrugged. “Don’t know.”

  If they were smart, they’d probably hightailed it out of here. Noah slowly turned in a full circle and noticed a group of children hovering at the other end of the line of stalls. He headed for the crowd.

  When Noah peeked inside the last stall, he saw a pregnant chestnut mare lying on the hay while Peter and Jacob observed the delivery. Several of the kids pointed and exclaimed in anticipation when the front feet appeared with the foal’s head between them.

  Someone tapped Noah on the arm. He looked down.

  “I can’t see. Can you hold me up?” Lindsay clutched her stuffed bear to her. “I want to see the baby horse.”

  Although the little girl was six years old, she was small for her age and everyone towered over her. Noah scooped her up and lifted her high, setting her on his shoulders.

  She grabbed his hair and leaned forward. “It’s coming!”

  The excitement in Lindsay’s voice made Noah grin. “Have you ever seen an animal give birth?”

  “No.” She tugged on his hair as her grip tightened. “It’s almost out.”

  At that moment the foal slipped completely from the mare and lay on the hay. The mother struggled to her feet and nuzzled her baby, which received some ahs from the children.

  “She’s licking it like Molly does me.”

  “Speaking of Molly, I understand Peter brought her into the barn.”

  “Yeah, Rusty took her for a walk. Peter said she’d been cooped up and needed to go potty.” Lindsay bent toward Noah’s ear and whispered, “He won’t be happy he missed this.”

  From what he’d seen of the young boy, he wasn’t happy about much, but then Noah remembered all the anger he’d had as a child and could identify with Rusty. The boy could have a long road ahead without help.

  Help I could give him.

  That thought came unbidden into Noah’s mind. He supposed after the children were settled in their new situation he could become a big brother to Rusty and try to mentor him.

  Another tug on his hair centered his attention on the child perched on his shoulders. Who would help her? Cara? She would be perfect since it was obvious Lindsay liked her. She had clung to Cara at the hospital except when the girl had hugged Adam.

  “The baby is getting milk. Look!”

  Some of the children ahead of Noah wandered away now that the thrill was over. He moved closer, having to acknowledge that seeing the birth of the foal was exciting. He’d seen a few, but he still marveled at the wonder. Maybe there really was a God who made this all possible.

  * * *

  “There. I think the food is finally ready for consumption.” Laura backed away from the picnic table laden with dishes. “Thanks for helping.”

  “It was fun and the guys had to take care of the kids while we did it.” Hannah scanned the yard. “By the way, where are they?”

  “The guys or the children?” Alice Henderson eased into a chair, parking her cane next to her on the deck.

  Cara leaned against the wooden railing and watched the exchange between the three. Although she and Laura were good friends, she didn’t know Hannah or Alice, Noah’s foster mother, well. She’d heard stories about them from Laura, but it wasn’t the same. They were a close-knit group who had bonded because of the children. She could remember as a teenager wanting to fit in with a certain clique and not being sure how to do it. The way she finally went had been totally wrong, throwing herself at one of the boys in that group. She was still paying for that mistake.

  “Cara, you said Noah brought Molly. Where did they go?”

  Laura’s question pulled Cara away from the past and focused her on the present. “To the barn.”

  “Of course. That’s where they usually end up.” Hannah started down the steps with Laura right behind her.

  When Cara stayed where she was, Laura glanced at her. “Want to come help round them up?”

  “I’ll stay and keep Alice company. I’ve seen you two in action. You can handle it. All you’ll need to say is the food is on.”

  Hannah chuckled. “Yeah, and then get out of the way as they run out of the barn.”

  After the two women struck out across the yard, Alice patted the arm of a chair next to her. “Come sit. I haven’t had much of a chance to talk to you, but I feel like I know you. Laura was always speaking of you. She looked forward to your e-mails.”

  Cara crossed the deck and settled into the place next to the older woman. “Laura told me about your illness and recovery.”

  “Not fast enough for me. I don’t like being beholden to anyone, even my boys.”

  “Boys?”

  “Peter, Jacob and Noah. They are like mother hens. Now that I’m living in the duplex next to Laura’s aunt and not here anymore, one of them is stopping in to see me every day. And they’ve organized the other foster children I raised who still live in town to keep an eye on me. I had more privacy when I lived here.”

  “They love you. They don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  “When it’s my time, it’s my time. I’ll get to see Paul again. He’s with the Lord, waiting for me.” Alice smoothed out her flowered dress, setting her white handkerchief in her lap. “Enough about me. I’m boring. Tell me about you and Timothy. Such a sweet little boy.”

  “I’m the boring one,” Cara said with a laugh.

  “You’ve had some excitement in your life recently. Are you all right?”

  “You mean what happened at the restaurant?”

  “Yes, Peter said something to me when he picked me up.”

  “I wish I could say what happened was behind me, but I’ve got the feeling Jake and his friends are going to cause some problems for me.”

  “Oh, dear. We can’t let that happen.” Alice touched Cara’s arm. “Noah won’t let that happen.”

  “He may have no choice.”

  Alice gave Cara’s arm a quick squeeze. “He’s such a good man. He’ll do what is necessary.” The older woman peered toward the barn, observing the horde of children and adults exiting it. “I wish I didn’t worry about him so much.”

  “Why?”

  “I’ve never been able to bring him to the Lord. He still has anger from his childhood that gets in the way.” Alice looked back at Cara. “I want to see him married and settled before I die. He needs a wife and children even though he doesn’t think so.”

  The woman’s probing gaze caused Cara to squirm in her chair. In that minute before the crowd reached the deck she felt as if she had been appraised and assessed. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know what Alice had found. She remembered some of the things her husband used to say when they argued. The problem was, even now, she agreed with Tim. Her life was a lie. Her marriage had been a sham.

  Cara forced a grin to her lips and shot to her feet. “I’d better get over there to help the children with their plates.”

  “Cara, will you do me favor and tell Noah to bring me a plate? He knows what I like to eat.”

  Cara peered back at Noah’s foster mother and said, “Sure, but I can get you something to eat.”

  Alice fluttered her hand, her eyes twinkling. “Nonsense. It looks like you’ve got your work cut out for you. There are starving children wanting something to eat. Take care of them.”

  Cara found Noah standing behind Rusty. “Alice needs you to bring her a plate of food.”

  His gaze followed toward the direction she gestured. “I see she has her command post staked out.”

  “Noah! How can you say that?”

  “Easy, from years of experience, and it was said with love and affection, but I know Alice Henderson. She’s up to something when she begins to pla
y the helpless one.” He studied Cara for a long moment. “What did you two talk about?”

  Heat rose into her cheeks. “I’d better get to work.” She turned to disappear in the crowd of children.

  Noah’s hand on her arm stopped her escape. “Don’t tell me. Let me guess. She talked about my lack of a wife and children.”

  The heat intensified, diffusing throughout her. “She does that a lot?”

  “Lately that’s her favorite subject ever since Jacob and Hannah got married.” He grinned. “At least before that, she spread it around.”

  She patted his hand, still on her arm. “I’m sorry.”

  His laughter erupted from deep in his chest. The sound caused the children around him to stare up at him. Noah released his hold on her. “I’d better let you get to work.”

  Cara hurried to Laura, who finished spooning some potato salad onto a paper plate, then passed it to one of her twin boys. “What do you want me to do?”

  Her friend stuck a large fork in her hand. “Serve the barbecue chicken, then pass me the plate.”

  By the women forming an assembly line the task went quickly. Cara dished up her last piece of meat fifteen minutes later then sank into a chair next to Laura with her own lunch ready to devour. “All this work has me hungry.”

  “It’s been a busy day, and we haven’t even gotten to the games yet.”

  Cara angled to face Laura. “Games! What games?”

  “Oh, whatever the dear children come up with. My son is in charge.”

  “Which one? Sean, I hope.”

  Laura laughed. “I’m not crazy. No way would I let my twins be in charge of something like that. I can just picture what they’d have us do.” She tapped her chin with her forefinger. “Let’s see. How about a nice game of who will be the first one to break his leg jumping off the roof of the house?”

  “And Timothy would be in the thick of it.” Cara sensed someone sitting down in the chair on her other side. She glanced over and spied Noah.

  “You and your son look alike, especially the eyes.” Noah lifted a piece of chicken and took a bite.

  Cara searched the crowd and found Timothy with Laura’s twins sitting under a large oak tree in the back. She pointed to him. “In case you’re color-blind, I have green eyes and he has brown ones.”