The front door opened, and Luke walked in with Louise Pearson. Shelly’s heart thumped in her chest. She’d hoped to have had time to talk to him before Mrs. Pearson arrived. And she hadn’t wanted to be in the middle of a personal revelation.
She forced herself back to the moment. She met them near the counter, reaching out to shake Mrs. Pearson’s hand.
The woman looked concerned. “Where’s Max?” she asked.
Shelly pointed to the playpen where the baby was holding court with Jack Hartman and Amanda Bradley.
“I see he’s completely recovered,” she observed.
“He’s doing beautifully,” Connor said, appearing at Shelly’s side.
Shelly couldn’t tell if Mrs. Pearson was pleased to see the baby so happily ensconced in the restaurant or not.
Shelly drew her toward the playpen. His wide smile revealed the two bottom teeth had broken through, two ragged little shiny white buds.
The woman finally smiled.
“And how are you?” Shelly asked politely. “I hear you’ve been ill.”
She nodded briskly. “But I’m fine now. And we have to decide what to do about this baby. The sheriff tells me you’d like to file for custody.”
Shelly looked up, saw that Valerie stood frozen near the counter. Betsy was still pouring coffee and taking orders.
She pointed through the kitchen. “Would you like to talk in my office?”
The woman nodded perfunctorily. “Of course.”
“Can I get you a cup of coffee?”
“Please.”
At her raised eyebrow, Luke nodded. “Me, too, please.”
She set up a fresh pot for Betsy, hooked her finger in half a dozen cups and grabbed the full pot. Valerie scooped Max out of the playpen. For one pregnant moment, Shelly wondered if she’d made a terrible mistake. Valerie glanced at the door, apparently considering the possibility of escape with her baby.
Connor had grabbed several chairs from one of the empty tables and had carried them into the office, out of sight. Shelly’s hands were full, so it would be hard for her to respond quickly if Valerie chose to run. The opportunity was tailor-made.
Valerie looked into Shelly’s eyes, her thoughts clearly readable. Her eyes brimming, she turned in the direction of the office.
Shelly made everyone as comfortable as possible in the small space. She poured coffee for them and made introductions.
“Mrs. Pearson, Luke,” she said, “I’d like you to meet Valerie Simms, Max’s mother.” Luke put his cup down on the edge of Shelly’s desk, and the caseworker blinked in surprise.
“I thought you didn’t know who she was,” she said.
“I didn’t,” Shelly replied. “She came to my home last night to introduce herself and reclaim her son.”
She saw Valerie’s quick glance of gratitude at her sanitized recounting of events.
Mrs. Pearson lowered her cup to her lap and said, “Well, I’m afraid it won’t be that simple. You were seriously neglectful of your baby, Miss Simms, and the law requires that certain procedures be followed. We—”
“Mrs. Pearson,” Shelly interrupted, a sudden, brilliant inspiration taking shape inside her. She hated it, but it was brilliant.
Then she realized with a sudden, violent release of pressure, that the only thing that created a sense of loss was a determination to have things or people in a way fate had determined they should not be. And if that was gone, everything simply…was, free to come and go where it would. Love could attract someone or something, but it couldn’t lock it up.
Stunned by that realization, she stammered. “Um…ah…would you excuse Connor and me for just a minute? Maybe this would be a good time for Valerie to tell you what brought her to the point where she left Max with me, and how she feels about that now.”
“Miss Dupree, I…”
“We’ll just be a minute. I promise!”
Luke studied them worriedly. “Shelly, what…?”
“Just one minute,” Shelly promised again. She turned to Connor. “Could I see you outside, please?”
When he hesitated, apparently as confused by her behavior as everyone else, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him with her out the door. Dan was working like a machine in the kitchen, and Betsy seemed to have things under control, though she was operating at top speed.
Shelly pulled Connor into the bathroom, the only private place available, and closed the door. She flipped on the light to reveal the tiny, very old cubicle with its spotless porcelain fixtures and wallpaper patterned with Victorian women in evening dress.
She saw Connor take a quick glance around him in surprise.
Looking up into his face, she realized that her new, wonderfully free philosophy was going to be hard to apply in this case. If Connor didn’t concur with her plan, she didn’t know what she’d do.
She had no time for subtlety.
“Will you marry me?” she asked.
“What?” He frowned and folded his arms. “Why?”
“Why?” she repeated, trying not to panic. “That’s not an answer. Yes or no?”
“No,” he said.
She stared at him in disbelief. She knew, of course, that they’d argued this over and over—always on different sides than they were taking now—but she’d lived in hope that when the moment came that she could believe that getting married was a good thing, he’d still be willing.
But he wasn’t. It felt as though life stalled in her body.
“You said,” she accused in a fractured voice, “that you love me.”
“I do,” he said without hesitation. “You’re the one who doesn’t love me.”
She gasped in exasperation. “Yes, I do. I understand that now.”
“Yeah, well, you’ll have to explain it to me so that I understand it.”
“Connor,” she said, taking hold of his arms, “we don’t have time for this. I need to know that you’re with me on this.”
“On what? Marriage?”
She blew out air that fluttered her bangs. “No. I need to know how you’d feel about sharing the house with a baby and a teenager.”
He was afraid to admit even to himself how completely confused he could become when dealing with her. He knew he’d be able to understand this if he simply made an effort to follow along. Following wasn’t usually his style, but he’d just been proposed to, and though he hadn’t a clue why, he couldn’t just let that slip away until he could get the offer on his terms.
“Max and…Valerie?”
“Yes,” she said. Fluttering her fingertips in a hurry-up gesture. “What do you think? I’m sure our minute’s up.”
“You’re inviting me to live with you?”
“No, I’m inviting you to marry me, but since you’re being so difficult about it…”
“With Valerie and the baby.”
“Yes.”
Now he suspected what she was up to. He was both in awe of her courage to attempt it, and aware of the pain she must be feeling. Because he felt it, too. And though he wasn’t going to settle for less than he wanted, he was so in love with her at this moment, he didn’t know what to do with himself. And if he’d ever held doubts about her ability to make her own decisions, they were now resolved.
“I have no problem with that,” he said.
She blinked, looking confused, too. That gave him a certain satisfaction.
“You don’t?” She sounded surprised.
“No.”
“And you’ll back me up?”
He didn’t want to admit this when he still needed some concessions from her, but she looked desperate. “Always,” he replied.
She dropped her head to his shoulder for an instant, then caught his hand and led him back into the room.
Valerie was sobbing and Luke, who didn’t look entirely comfortable with the job, was trying to quiet the screaming baby.
“I know it hurts, Valerie,” Mrs. Pearson was saying with what appeared to be sincere but stern sympathy, “but
you now have to prove your ability to raise your baby before I can place him back in your care. It’s wonderful that you’re living with a friend’s mother, but we have to know that you’ll be able to support your baby. We have to create a plan together and take it before a judge. And until we can do that, we have to know that Max will be safe.”
Shelly took the baby from Luke, got the pacifier from her apron pocket and dipped it quickly in her coffee to sterilize it then wiped it off with a tissue and put it in Max’s mouth. He quieted as though someone had turned him off and rested his head on her shoulder.
Luke sat down in relief. Connor resumed his chair and Shelly sat down, as well, smiling at the caseworker.
“Mrs. Pearson,” she said. “I have an idea.”
The woman nodded wearily. “I’m always open to ideas.”
“What if Max and Valerie both stayed with Connor and me?”
Valerie looked up in the middle of a sob, silenced just like the baby had been.
“Max has been very happy with us, and I think Valerie’s sincere in wanting to be a good mother. She has experience as a waitress, and I could really use more regular help at the restaurant. I have a room for her and the baby, and I can keep an eye on them until the court date, and can report on how she and Max are doing together. The church has a weekly meeting of young mothers where they talk over solutions to problems and share what they’re learning. That could help her, too.”
Louise Pearson looked Shelly in the eye. “You’re suggesting she stay with you?”
“Yes.”
“You’re assigning yourself a very big job.”
Shelly shrugged. “Life’s full of big jobs.”
“Shelly!” Valerie whispered.
Shelly stood to put the now sleeping baby in his mother’s arms.
Connor saw the wrenching pain she felt as she put aside the happy ending she’d wanted, to give Valerie the second chance that would probably change her life. He didn’t think he’d ever seen such a selfless deed.
“Our goal,” Mrs. Pearson said gently, as though afraid Shelly hadn’t grasped it, “is to make Valerie self-sufficient.”
Shelly nodded. “I understand that. And I know the difference between being Max’s mother, and being Max’s mother’s friend. I’ve accepted it in my heart. We can do this, Mrs. Pearson.”
Mrs. Pearson turned to Valerie. “Miss Dupree is willing to extend herself for you and the baby,” she said, her tone quiet but her eyes firm. “Do you think you can do this? Keep a job and care for your baby?”
Valerie looked around at all the faces watching her, as though unable to believe what she’d heard. “Yes, I can,” she said finally, and with a confidence Mrs. Pearson seemed to appreciate. “I promise I can.”
“Well.” Mrs. Pearson considered everyone involved, then got to her feet and glanced at her watch. “Valerie and I need to talk,” she said. “Is there a private booth where we can have lunch and discuss a few things?”
“Of course.” Shelly stood, also. “We’ll find a booth for you and lunch is on me.”
“No, no,” Mrs. Pearson insisted. “I’m on an expense account.” She beckoned to Valerie. “Come along, dear. Bring the baby.”
Shelly led them out into the restaurant to find a booth.
Luke stood, tossing his hat in his hand. He looked at Connor and drew a breath. “That was a solution I hadn’t expected,” he said. “I thought she wanted custody.”
“Yeah,” Connor concurred. “I guess some of us have hearts bigger than our dreams.”
Luke slapped him on the shoulder. “Well, I’m sure you’re looking at a life filled with surprises. Will you tell Mrs. Pearson that I’m heading back to the office?”
“I will.”
Connor peered out into the restaurant and saw that things had quieted down somewhat, probably the lull before the lunchtime rush. He saw that Shelly had seated Mrs. Pearson, Valerie and Max in the back booth on the side opposite the windows. She called the order to Dan, placing the ticket on the order wheel before coming back toward the office.
He followed her inside and closed the door behind them.
He was ready when she turned into his arms and wept her heart out. He wept with her because he knew how she felt; the baby had been an important part of his dreams, too.
“That was the bravest thing I’ve ever seen,” he praised, rubbing her back. “I don’t know that I could have done it.”
“I didn’t want to!” she cried, punching a fist into his chest. “But I…just couldn’t throw away her life to make mine the way I wanted it.”
“If it’s any comfort,” he said, “she looked as though you’ve given her her life back.”
“I think it’ll work.”
“I think so, too.”
“Well.” She pushed out of his arms and sniffed. “I have to get to work. Poor Betsy has run her legs off.” Her eyes, concentrating on the front of his sweater, raised reluctantly to his eyes. “But we have to talk sometime.”
“Tonight?” he asked.
She sighed regretfully. “I’m open late tonight.”
“Valerie will have the baby,” he said, “so call me when you close up and I’ll come down and walk you home.”
“Okay.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I love you, Connor.”
He kissed her soundly. “I love you, Shelly.” He took off at a brisk pace. He had a lot to do.
Chapter Thirteen
Shelly knew Connor loved her, but was she ever going to be able to convince him now that they should be married? She couldn’t imagine how.
It was early evening, a relatively quiet dinnertime that Shelly welcomed considering how busy the day had been. And with her focus split among the various crises in her life, she was grateful for the slower pace.
She sent Betsy home in the afternoon with a bonus for showing up on a moment’s notice.
“That’s okay,” she said. “A few of us are just making plans to go backpacking in Canada next summer, so I’m happy to work anytime. Just call me.”
Shelly hugged her. “I’ll do that. If things go according to plan, I’ll need some free time soon. I’ll call you as soon as I know.”
She seemed pleased with the idea.
“There’s a lady crying in that back booth where I sat with Mrs. Pearson,” Valerie whispered to her as she waved her ticket. “She says she’s okay, but all she ordered was a chocolate milk shake. Do you mind making it? It’s been a while since I’ve done one.”
“No, I’ll take care of it. Why don’t you take Max home? I’ll be another couple of hours.”
“I can stay,” Valerie insisted.
“No. Go home.”
Shelly was suddenly engulfed in a fervent embrace. “Shelly,” Valerie said tearfully, “I don’t know what to say about this. I’m sure there’s no one else in the world who’d have done this for me. And I still can’t believe you did it. Was Connor mad?”
“No. He’s in complete agreement. We’re both sure you’re going to do just fine.”
“I will.” Valerie hugged her even tighter. “I’m going to be the best mother there ever was. And I’m going to work so hard for you.”
“Well, you certainly did today.” Shelly patted her shoulder. “Now, take your baby home. His nighttime bottle is in the fridge. And you can help yourself to whatever you want. Just move the crib into your room. Oh. And take a piece of coconut cream pie home with you. Connor loves it.”
“Okay.”
The shake ready, Shelly looked toward the back booth and saw Ruby Cade sitting in the corner, a hand shielding her eyes. She was a pretty redhead who’d come home to Jester about three years earlier after a considerable time away. She was in partnership with Honor Lassiter in The Mercantile. She was married, though her husband had some kind of job that kept him away a lot, and Shelly had seen him only twice. He’d been handsome, as she recalled, with a military bearing.
Ruby was one of the Main Street Millionaires, so Shelly guessed that wha
tever troubled her wasn’t financial. And she had no children, so that probably left some sort of marital difficulty.
No stranger to difficulties of most kinds, Shelly delivered the milk shake and slipped into the booth opposite Ruby, determined to help.
Ruby raised tear-filled green eyes to her.
“I’m sorry,” she said, snatching a napkin from the dispenser and dabbing at her nose. “I hate people who make scenes.”
Shelly looked around at the only other customer in one of the front booths. “No one around to notice. Is it anything you want to talk about?”
Ruby shook her head and tore the paper end off the straw’s wrapper. “Thanks, but I’m not even sure what’s going on. I’m just…blue.”
“That infusion of chocolate should help.”
Ruby forced a smile. “Since I couldn’t get it intravenously, I thought a milk shake was the next best thing.”
“Everything okay at The Mercantile?”
“Yes. We have some great stuff for Valentine’s Day. You’ll have to come and look.”
“I will,” Shelly promised, then slid out of the booth. “If you ever do want to talk, I’m not a bartender, but I’m the next best thing.”
Ruby drew a deep breath. “Maybe you need to talk, too?” she asked. “Honor was in at lunchtime, and said the mother of your baby turned up.”
Shelly nodded, a small pain pinching in her chest. Gradually a small sense of hope was beginning to replace the pain. “Valerie just waited on you. She just needs another chance.”
“Yeah.” That seemed to mean something different, something significant, to Ruby. She took a deep sip of the shake. “Mmm,” she said with approval. “Good stuff, Shelly. By the way, I vote for fixing the church roof first, too.” She smiled wistfully. “I remember going to bingo parties there with my mother and her friends.”
“Okay. I’ll add your vote. Call me if you need me.”
“You, too.”
The restaurant was empty at closing time. Shelly locked the door and turned the Closed sign to face the glass.
Dan, for whom things had been so slow the past few hours that he’d already cleaned up, gave her a big hug before heading for the door.
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