“I’m fine,” she said in a brisk tone. She didn’t want Micah’s pity.
“Did something happen with Pamela?” he asked.
“No, of course not,” she said. For so long now she’d been covering for the animosity Pamela exhibited toward her. It was second nature to her.
“I don’t believe you,” Micah said, his tone curt. “I was watching the two of you. Pamela said something to upset you.”
“What does it matter?” Faith asked, her tone sharp. “Pamela has always been the Queen Bee and she always will be. It’s her world and I’m just living in it.”
Micah’s eyes widened. Faith gulped. Had she gone too far? She didn’t want Micah to view her as a jealous hag.
“I’m sorry,” she said, sighing. “I’m just tired.”
“It’s okay to be honest about your feelings, Faith. To be honest, Pamela and I aren’t close.” He wrinkled his nose. “And I doubt we ever will be.”
Faith felt her eyes nearly pop out of her head. Everyone always loved Pamela. But not Micah? “You’re not? But she’s marrying your best friend.”
“I know,” Micah said, quirking his mouth. “I was kind of hoping he would call things off.” The corners of his mouth twitched with merriment, which made Faith grin. Two minutes ago she’d been reduced to tears by her cousin and now she was laughing thanks to Micah.
“Are you serious or kidding?” she asked, wanting to make sure he wasn’t just being humorous about her cousin.
“Let’s just say I don’t think they’re right for each other.” Micah’s face turned solemn. “But I’d appreciate it if you didn’t repeat that to Pamela…or Rafferty for that matter. I’ve been trying to be supportive of Rafferty.”
Faith made a face. “You don’t have to worry about me repeating anything. We’re not close. To be honest,” she admitted, “I’m not sure why I’m even here tonight. I haven’t seen Pamela for months.”
Micah shook his head. “Well thanks for coming tonight, Faith. It was great to meet you.”
She couldn’t help but grin. “Thanks for having me. I enjoyed myself. Goodnight.”
“Night.” The single word spoken by Micah washed over her as she stepped into her car, turned on the headlights and revved the engine. Micah stood a few feet away from her car and waved to her as she drove away. It was a sweet gesture that left Faith with a heartwarming feeling about Micah. Most men who looked like him were the furthest thing from sweet.
There she went again judging people based on her own perceptions. She really needed to stop it. Judge not lest ye be judged.
As she drove home Faith thought about the last few hours. Pamela was a lucky woman. Her fiancé was clearly enamored of her. Rafferty seemed to worship the very ground she walked on. How many nights had she prayed for God to bring her someone who would love her unconditionally? A man who would stick by her side come what may.
Lord, whoever you have in mind for me, please let him love me with all my flaws and imperfections. Allow him to see my heart first and foremost. Let him love me the way You do. Let him rejoice in the way You made me. And please don’t wait too long to send him my way. It’s getting a little lonely out here.
**
“Thanks for sticking around to help me clean up, Shayla.” Micah looked around his kitchen. It was almost spotless thanks to a slew of Donahue helpers. He’d sent everyone else home a little while ago. Shayla was spending the night in his guest room rather than driving all the way to her place. The roads leading to his house were twisted and winding. He didn’t want to have to worry about his baby sister getting into an accident on her way home.
“Micah. Can I ask you a question?” Shayla asked as she rinsed out a glass in the sink.
“That depends,” Micah said. He reached out and tweaked Shayla’s nose. “Your questions are usually super nosy. And the answer is no. I’m not dating anyone at the moment. And no, I don’t want to date any of your friends.”
Shayla rolled her eyes. “Wrong on both counts.” She bit her lip. “I wanted to ask you something about Pamela. You don’t like her very much, do you?”
Micah locked gazes with Shayla. It wasn’t his habit to lie to her, but he didn’t want to let on about his negative feelings about Pamela. He really didn’t want Rafferty to ever figure out how deep his feelings ran. “She’s all right,” he said. “Honestly, I don’t even know her very well.”
Shayla narrowed her gaze as she looked at Micah. She raised her finger and began holding it in front of his face. “Right there. That little crease in the middle of your forehead. It’s your tell-tale sign. Tell me, Micah. Honestly, I have a right to know if something is up with the woman who is going to marry the man I love.”
Micah shook his head. “Do you have to be so dramatic? All this time you’ve hidden your feelings for Rafferty and now you won’t stop talking about it.”
“Only to you and Caleb.” She put a finger to her lips. “It’s still a secret. I can’t even imagine how mortifying it would be if Rafferty found out.”
Micah shrugged. “Well, he won’t find out from me. As for Pamela, I don’t think she’s right for Rafferty.”
“I knew it!” Shayla shouted. Suddenly, her expression shifted from sadness to joy.
Micah shot her a pointed look. “It doesn’t change Rafferty’s feelings. And that’s what’s at stake here. Rafferty’s feelings. I don’t want to lose my best friend by telling him his fiancée isn’t half the woman he thinks she is.”
“But don’t you owe him the truth?” Shayla pressed.
Micah ran a hand over his face. He was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. “Do you know how many nights I’ve lain awake asking myself that same question? Truth is a funny thing. We all have our truths, our feelings, our perceptions. In my heart I don’t think Pamela is good for Rafferty. I think she’s going to crush his heart. And I don’t want to see that happen under any circumstances.”
Shayla let out a wounded sound. Micah moved toward her, quickly filling up the space between them. He took her in his arms. “I know, sis. It hurts doesn’t it? Just knowing that someone as special as Rafferty could get his heart handed to him on a platter is devastating.”
“I would never hand him his heart on a platter,” Shayla said, her voice muffled against his chest. “I’d treat him like a King.” She made a little sobbing, hiccupping sound.
Micah patted her on the back. “I know, Shay. I know. In a perfect world it would be you and Rafferty getting engaged. But I think we both know that life is far from perfect. All we can do is pray that things work themselves out.”
“I’ll continue to pray, Micah,” Shayla said, swiping her hand across her tear-stained cheeks. “And I’m not going to shrivel up and die or anything. I’m going to live my life and be happy.”
“That’s right,” he said in an encouraging tone. “And you never know. You might meet someone who makes you forget all about Rafferty.” Micah prayed that would happen for Shayla. She deserved to be loved wholly and completely. And he knew she would love that certain someone in return without reservation. It was one of the things he loved most about his sister. She loved with every fiber of her being.
“I’m not sure I’ll ever forget all about him,” she said in a soft voice.
He reached out and lifted her chin up. “Keep your chin up, okay?
“And if Pamela hurts Rafferty,” Shayla said, her expression fierce, “she’s going to have to deal with me.”
Micah couldn’t help but chuckle at his little sister’s fierceness. She was a Donahue through and through. Tough right down to the bone. “All right tiger, let’s go watch the classic movie channel for a while before we get some shut eye.”
“That sounds like heaven. Let me put some popcorn in the microwave first. We can’t watch old movies without popcorn.”
Micah watched his sister as she placed the popcorn in the microwave and grabbed a large bowl. She was resilient. Unexpectedly, Faith’s face flashed before his eyes. She too was a
strong woman, one who’d already been through so much in her life. As he and Shayla settled in to watch “Imitation of Life,” Micah wondered whether he would see Faith again before the wedding. Part of him wanted to find out more about Pamela, while another part of him simply wanted to reconnect with the quiet beauty he’d met tonight. He wasn’t sure how he would go about it, but he was determined to connect with her again.
**
It had been almost a week since Pamela and Rafferty’s engagement party. Faith was still mulling over the details of that evening in her mind. She hadn’t heard a word from her cousin which was a blessing from above. She really didn’t have the time or the energy to devote to Pamela. As it was she’d been up to her elbows in work with field trips, parent-teacher conferences, career day and a host of quizzes and book reports. Thankfully she loved her job! Being a teacher was her dream job.
She was meeting Shayla for lunch today at a diner called the Silver Spoon. When Shayla had first suggested it, Faith had almost balked against the idea. The diner had been one of her family’s favorite places to grab a meal, particularly on special occasions. Faith remembered going to the diner after piano recitals and for her birthday dinner. While eating a meal at the diner her little family had laughed over her father’s corny jokes and his magic tricks that never really worked. Faith had always ordered a cherry chocolate shake and curly fries. Her mother had always ordered something healthy such as a salad, then snagged some of her fries and huge bites of her dad’s bacon cheeseburger and chili fries. Even after all these years, the memories still caused a tight sensation to spread across her chest.
Even though she was reluctant to stir up old memories, she didn’t have the heart to explain it to Shayla. She would just deal with it the best way she possibly could.
By the time she made her way over to the Silver Spoon she was officially five minutes late which was pure torture as a teacher. Faith made it a habit to be on time for everything. When she pulled into the parking lot of the diner, Faith took a deep, calming breath. She’d avoided this establishment for way too long. Instead of avoiding the memories, Faith made a vow to rejoice in them. They were memories of happier times when her family had been an intact unit. Running from them meant she was erasing them. Her parents deserved to be remembered and celebrated.
She hadn’t been doing that at all and it filled her with shame.
As soon as Shayla entered the Silver Spoon, a warm feeling settled over her. The smell of cheeseburgers and fries hung in the air. She inhaled the scent, remembering all the times she’d ordered the combination at the diner. She let out a chuckle at the memory of how excited her father used to get over indulging in burgers and fries. He’d always been a little thick around the middle, but her mother had always said there had just been more of him to love. Her parents had shared a truly epic love story. It was what Faith aspired to in her own life, God willing.
“Faith?”
She whirled around at the sound of her name. Micah was standing there, dressed in a nice pair of jeans and a simple white T-shirt. He looked classic and comfortable.
“Micah!” She couldn’t keep the surprise from echoing in her voice. “What a crazy coincidence! I’m meeting your sister here for lunch.”
Micah grinned. “Makes sense. My parents own the place.” He winked at her. “My whole family loves the food here.”
Faith’s jaw dropped. The Silver Spoon was owned by the Donahue family? The news felt a bit stunning considering the place had been a favorite of her own family since she was a little girl.
Micah chuckled. “I didn’t mean to shock you with the news. I’m surprised Shayla didn’t mention it.”
Faith swallowed past the lump in her throat. “This place is pretty special to me. My parents used to take me here when I was a kid.” She tried not to tear up. “I lost my parents when I was sixteen. They were killed in a fire.”
Micah shot her a sympathetic look. “I’m sorry to hear that, Faith. It’s devastating to lose a parent, not to mention both of them.”
Faith nodded, silently agreeing with Micah. Losing both her parents in one fell swoop had been torture. She had been utterly lost without them. Suffering burns on twenty percent of her body and being in the burn unit for months had added to her torment.
Given what she’d been through, the Silver Spoon actually represented something beautiful—moments in time when her family had been together and happy. They were moments to cherish.
“Being here is strange, but not in a bad way. It makes me feel connected to my parents and I haven’t felt that way in a really long time,” she admitted. Saying those words out loud to Micah surprised her. She didn’t speak often of her parents or of the past. She’d learned not to talk about the tragic fire that had altered the course of her life. Most times it made people treat her differently, like an object of pity. Faith didn’t want that. She wanted to be regarded on her own terms. The fire had taken everything from her, but at some point she couldn’t let it continue to consume her.
“It makes me happy to hear that. I know it can’t be easy dealing with those memories.”
Faith felt a warm and fuzzy feeling spreading through her. Micah’s voice was full of understanding and compassion. He radiated sincerity.
“No, it isn’t easy at all,” Faith said. “Thanks for understanding.”
“Faith, these are my parents, Penelope and Jude Donahue. They’ve owned this diner for over thirty years. This is Faith O’Connell.”
Faith recognized the pair from the engagement party. Up close they were more adorable than she’d realized. Penelope looked a bit frazzled, but she reached out and gave Faith a warm hug. “I recognize you from the party the other night. I meant to compliment you on your lovely dress, but with so many people there I didn’t get a chance to talk to you.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Donahue,” Faith answered, pleased at the compliment.
“Call me Penelope. Everyone does,” she said, grinning at Faith. “Forgive me, but we’ve got a situation in the kitchen I need to deal with before it blows up.” She winked at Faith. “Literally.”
Faith watched as Penelope raced toward the kitchen like a whirlwind.
“Nice to meet you, Faith,” Jude said, stepping forward and extending his hand. Faith shook it as a feeling of recognition washed over her. She had the feeling that she’d seen Jude in the past—this little niggling memory pricked at her. If she closed her eyes Faith could picture him standing behind the counter with a huge grin plastered on his face and asking her if she wanted a cherry on her sundae.
“My parents used to take me here when I was little,” Faith said, smiling at the memory. She jutted her chin in the direction of the jukebox. “I remember putting coins in there to play my mother’s favorite song. She used to get so tickled when it played over the jukebox.”
“Which song was it?” Micah asked.
A smile twitched at the corners of her lips. “A lovely day.”
A look of instant recognition passed over Micah’s face. “Aaah. The Bill Withers song. One of my favorites.”
“It’s become one of mine too. It reminds me of her.”
Jude frowned. “Faith. Your last name is O’Connell?”
“Yes, it is,” she answered.
“Were your parents Deb and Byron O’Connell?” Micah’s father asked, his expression radiating surprise.
“Yes,” she said with a nod. “Did you know them?”
Jude smiled. “Only as customers. They were regulars here. And so were you when you were a little girl. Your family used to come here at least once a week.” His eyes twinkled with merriment. “If I remember correctly, your dad was a huge fan of the chili cheese fries.”
“I remember,” she said, marveling at how circumstances had led her to the Silver Spoon diner today.
“Penelope and I were so saddened by what happened to them. At the time we prayed for your family and your recovery,” Jude said, reaching out to squeeze her hand. For a moment the resemblance betwee
n Jude and Micah was so striking it nearly knocked her off her feet.
“Thank you.” Faith felt overwhelmed knowing Jude Donahue had prayed for her family. A person never really knew who was praying for them when they were in their darkest hours.
“I actually might have a picture of the three of you on the wall,” Jude said. “Would you like to see it?”
Faith felt goosebumps on her arms. “Seriously? I’d love that.”
Jude beckoned her over to the counter. He pointed to the wall behind the counter where dozens of pictures were posted, presumably of customers who’d frequented the Silver Spoon. “This is our hall of fame. It’s comprised of customers who touched our hearts in some way or another,” Jude explained. He walked behind the counter and tapped a picture in the upper left hand corner. “If I’m not mistaken, this is you and your parents.”
Faith let out a gasp. She’d never seen this black and white photo before. Jude reached up and plucked it down. He handed it to her. “I took this picture. If you like I can make a copy of it for you.”
She looked at Jude with tears pooling in her eyes as she took the picture from him. “That would be fantastic. I’ve never seen this before.” She swung her gaze down to look at the photo. She was sitting in one of the booths next to her father, while her mother sat across from her. There were plates in front of them loaded with food and drinks—milk shakes, curly fries, hot dogs, burgers and a huge salad.
“You look the same,” Micah said, standing close by so he could see the photo.
“I guess I do,” she murmured. On the inside she was drastically different. She hadn’t been as carefree or innocent ever since the fire had altered their lives. Tragedy changed people. And although Micah thought she looked the same, he had no idea about the burns that had ravaged her body. She did a really good job of hiding them. It was springtime. Pretty soon it would be nearly impossible to wear long sleeves all the time. To someone as perfect as Micah, her burns would no doubt be shocking.
She lightly fingered the photo, allowing the memories to flow over her like a warm breeze. Her mother had been such a beautiful, spiritual woman. Faith hoped she could one day become half the woman her mother had been. And her father—he had lit up every room he entered with his brilliant smile and bright personality.
Tenderly (Seven Brides Seven Brothers Pelican Bay) Page 5
