by Leah Atwood
Jon nodded, then offered Matt a smile mixed with sympathy and apology. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
They walked away, and Matt found himself relieved Kira hadn’t come down yet. If she’d been subjected to that, she surely would have fled for the peaks surrounding them. Still, where was she? Should he trek upstairs and knock on her door? But if she’d changed her mind, that would only make the situation more awkward.
He heard someone clear their throat and saw Kira standing in front of him. Lost in his worries that she wouldn’t show up, he hadn’t noticed her approach.
“Sorry, it took so long.” A demure pink covered her cheeks. “I went to change out of the robe and forgot to put the water heating. Then I went to pour it and realized the hot plate was unplugged, so I had to wait even longer.”
“No worries. Jon and Lisa came down, and I talked to them for a bit.”
She handed him a travel mug. “I only brought one teacup but had this too. I washed it out first.”
“Thanks.” He took the cup and lifted it to his nose, inhaled the soothing scent. “Do you mind sitting outside? Everywhere in here is full.”
“That’s fine.”
Once outside, he showed her the seats he’d saved, and they sat down. They had the patio to themselves, at least for now.
Kira drank a sip then set her cup on the glass tabletop. “I’m not usually the mess I’ve been today. Believe it or not, most of the time I have my act together.”
He held back his laughter. “We all have our off days.”
“This bad?”
The laughter exploded. “It’s really not. At least not from my point of view.”
“You’re being nice again, but I’ll take it.” She took another sip.
“What brought you here?” he asked after a several second lag in conversation.
“I won a radio contest.”
“They still have those?” He’d switched to satellite radio a few years ago but recently canceled it in favor of a streaming service.
“Yes. The one I listen to has the largest audience in the listening area, and their vacation giveaways bring in lots of listeners.”
He went to take a sip of tea. The insulated mug worked well, and the tea was too hot. “Speaking of listening areas, where are you from? I hear the accent but can’t tell the locale.”
“A little town in South Louisiana, about twenty-five miles north of Lafayette.”
“A Cajun girl, eh?” He said it as though he knew anything about the culture—his knowledge of Cajuns didn’t extend far beyond gumbo and crawfish.
“Only in heart.” She grabbed a strand of her hair. “My Irish roots can’t be hidden.”
“Did you grow up there?”
“Born and raised.” Her voice softened with affection. “My dad worked in the oil field and moved there with my mom five years before I came along. They fell in love with the area and never left.”
“What’s it like?”
She tilted her head a slight degree. “What’s what like?”
“Louisiana. I’ve never been there.” He leaned back, finding a comfortable spot in the chair.
“It’s glorious in the fall and spring, but miserable in the summer. Mosquitos are a way of life, and the roads eat our tires.”
“That sounds… dreadful.”
“Oh, but I didn’t finish.” A wide smile stretched across her face. “Our scenery is exquisite. Branches of centuries-old live oaks sweep to the ground then up again with a dramatic drapery of Spanish moss. When spring arrives, it brings a canvas painted with green of every shade you can imagine.”
“I’ve heard it’s very flat.”
“That’s true, but it’s beautiful. Where I live is part of the Cajun Prairie. There are areas where you can drive for miles and see any stores or homes.”
The enthusiasm and passion in her tone inspired him. “You make me want to visit one day.”
“You should, and if you ever do, look me up. I’ll show you the best places to eat, which aren’t always restaurants. T-boy down the road makes the best gumbo. All I have to do is tell him I have a guest coming from out of town and he’ll cook up a pot to last for days. Linda from church makes a bread pudding that melts in your mouth.”
“Now I’m hungry.” He settled for a drink of tea that had finally cooled enough to sip.
Kira continued, gesturing with her hands as she spoke. “And the people—they are the epitome of community. When one hurts, they all hurt and come together to help those in need. Through hurricanes, flooding, medical diagnoses, they join forces to meet whatever the need may be.”
“I remember watching the news after the hurricanes last year and being impressed by the local volunteer efforts.”
“It’s unreal. I’ve been in many places during times of crisis, but the folks of South Louisiana still amaze me with their generosity and tenacity. Nothing will get them down.” She leaned forward and crossed her arms on the table. “I think that’s why my parents stayed. They were both raised in foster care and never had that sense of community but found it there.”
He hadn’t been bored in the least, but his ears perked with keener interest. “Your parents were in the foster system?”
“Yes. Dad aged out, but Mom was adopted by a family during junior high.” She caught his gaze. “Do you work with foster children? Not many people get excited like you did when I mentioned my parents were in the foster system.”
“I grew up in foster care. Lisa did too.” He let go of the cup and laced his fingers together. “That’s how we met. She’s my sister in all ways that matter.”
“That explains it.”
“Explains what?” What is it with women tonight and their vague statements?
“She watched you like a hawk. At first, I thought it was a jealousy thing, which would have been ridiculous since she is getting married, not to mention that you and I just met and were only talking, but then I realized she had a protective stance.”
“Interesting.” Wait until he told Lisa she’d been caught. “We look out for each other. Old habits die hard.”
“I would have done the same if it were my sibling.”
“Do you have any?”
“Two, both older.” Sadness flickered through her eyes. “I rarely get to see them. Jack is in the air force and lives in California. Tara’s husband got a promotion the year I came home to stay, but it required them moving to Texas. The good part is, my nieces and nephews are all old enough to have cell phones, and they think I’m cool Aunt Kira, so they keep in touch often.”
“That’s awesome.” That tugging pulled at him again. “Hopefully when Lisa and Jon have kids, I can be cool Uncle Matt. As it is, the only kids I’m around now are my students, and I’m definitely not cool in their eyes.”
She laughed. “I wouldn’t take that personally.”
“I don’t.”
“What do you teach?”
“Eighth-grade science, and I also run an after-school tutoring program for all subjects.”
Her nose wrinkled. “All I remember about eight-grade science is watching really old movies about weather patterns.” A small chuckle came out. “My teacher filled the role of a mad scientist perfectly. He always wore a lab coat and had white hair that he never combed. A bit eccentric, but a nice man.”
“I remember those movies.” He sat upright. “Did yours allude to Sputnik and other fears of the fifties?”
“Yes! I had forgotten about that.”
“You’ll be happy to know, I broke the cycle and retired ninety percent of the videos from my curriculum. My students rarely watch a movie during class, and if they do, it’s only because I find it adds value that they’ll remember.”
“I wish you could have been my teacher. I probably would have retained more of what I’d learned.” Changing her position, she laid one leg over the other. “Have you always enjoyed science?”
He moved his head side to side. “When I started college, it wasn’t even for tea
ching, but social services. Then Lisa helped me to see my calling, and I changed my major to education. After I became a Christian, Jon dragged me to a conference about the compatibility of science and Christianity. It captured my interest, and the rest is history.”
“You’re very open about your beliefs, aren’t you?”
“Why should I hide it?” He laid an arm casually on the table. “You are too. When we were outside waiting for the fire marshal to finish, you told me your method for calming your fears.”
“I didn’t mean you should. It’s refreshing to hear people speak openly about it. That’s one of the things I miss about working with S.O.M.E.”
Had she mentioned what that was? The way she said it made him think he should already know. “What is some?”
Peacefulness settled over her face, and she spoke with a smile in her voice. “I worked with S.O.M.E. Servants on Mission Everywhere. It’s a missional organization focused on providing humanitarian aid in the aftermath of crisis.”
“You’re a missionary?” Color me impressed. His interest in her grew with this new revelation.
“Was. Several years ago, I felt God’s call to step aside from the field.”
“How long did you serve?”
“I joined my first trip the summer after my junior year of high school. After I graduated, I took several more with them during college then joined their full-time staff. So sixteen years though not all career related.”
“Can I ask you questions? Missions have always fascinated me, but I’ve only gone on a few short-term trips.”
For the next hour, he bombarded her with questions. He discovered she’d been all over the world and seen things that could rip a person’s heart to shreds.
“How do you survive those images?” he asked as the conversation came to an end.
“By the grace of God. I remind myself how fortunate I am to have been raised in a free country where I’m free to celebrate my faith. That I don’t live in constant fear of being kidnapped by rebels. That even when natural disasters strike our country, we have the resources and infrastructure to recover with only minor inconveniences.” She drank the last of her tea. “My work with S.O.M.E. changed my life. It taught me how to be grateful and see the blessings even in the times life doesn’t go my way.”
He grinned. “Like today?”
Her eyes twinkled with amusement. “On a smaller scale, yes, and I needed that reminder. Do you know what’s sad? I almost didn’t come on this trip, and after today wondered if God was trying to tell me something. If nothing else, I think he sent me here to be reminded of my own lessons learned.”
“God does have a way of doing that.” He tightened his shoulder muscles and released them slowly, undoing the damage of sitting in a hard chair for too long.
The conversation fell into a natural lull, and a comfortable silence permeated them. Only the crickets sang their spring song. The clouds had left the sky, leaving a pallet of gold stars shining down on the earth.
His phone vibrated against the glass, the resulting clang interrupting their tranquility. “I’m sorry. I don’t know who’s texting me this late.”
“No problem, but you should check it.”
He appreciated her understanding. Holding the phone upright, he read the message from Jon. —I see your still outside with Kira. I might have to hop over to Lisa’s side.
Jon made sure to add several winking emojis to the end of his text, along with three smiley faces laughing with tears.
Matt groaned though he’d attempted to subvert it.
“Is everything okay?” Kira’s eyes narrowed with concern.
“Just Jon making a lame joke.” A yawn snuck out of his mouth. “I didn’t realize it’s midnight already.”
“Is it?” She picked up her phone and looked. “I guess so. You know what they say about time when you’re having fun.”
“This was fun. I’m glad I ran into you.”
Her brows shot into high arches. “Don’t you mean it the other way around?”
He didn’t bother suppressing a hearty laugh. “You know what I mean.”
“Thanks for making this day better than it would have been otherwise.” She pushed back her chair, braced to stand.
“You’re welcome.” He took his time rising to his feet. “What are your plans this week?”
“I’m not sure yet. I tried planning out my days by searching online, then decided I’d rather wing it.” She lifted a shoulder and let it drop without preamble. “What’s a vacation with a strict schedule?”
“Or one that’s so jam-packed with activities you need a week of rest to recover when you get home.”
“Exactly.”
Standing upright, he grabbed his phone and slipped it into his pocket. “Wednesday’s the only day I have completely free while here. I’m planning to visit the caverns in the morning if you’d like to join.”
Her mouth formed a circle. “That was on my list of must-dos. If you don’t mind the company, I’ll tag along.”
“Great. Meet me downstairs at nine-thirty that morning?”
“Sounds good.” She gathered her teacup and the travel mug. A frown came from nowhere. “Wait. How long will we be there? The rental company is sending a representative to look at the car that afternoon.”
“Did they give you a time window?”
“Between two and three.”
“We have plenty of time. I don’t see them selling out of the ten o’clock tour since it’s not peak season, but even if we have to do the eleven one, that gives us two hours to get back.” He stopped for a second, then issued another open invitation. “We could even fit in lunch.”
A lazy smile appeared on her face—either from the sleepiness taking over or pleasure at his suggestion, maybe a combination of both but he hoped it was the latter. “I’ll see you at nine-thirty. If anything changes, call me. My number is on the insurance paperwork.”
Chapter Seven
“Ouch.” Kira sat up in bed and stretched her muscles, talking to herself. “I need to work out more.”
She’d spent yesterday hiking over twenty miles of trails, and now her body sought revenge for putting her muscles through that heavy of a workout when she hadn’t exercised that heavily in two years. What she needed was a hot shower that penetrated her skin and soothed her overburdened muscles.
If that didn’t work, she’d pop two ibuprofens and pray for the best.
No matter how she felt, she wouldn’t skip out on the caverns today. She’d looked forward to them since the first day of her Pell’s Peak research. Caves and caverns had always fascinated her, but she’d had little chance to explore them, or even take a limited tour. Even so, she could go later in the day or even tomorrow.
But she had another reason for refusing to miss today’s scheduled event.
A man named Matt Cameron, a serendipitous discovery.
She’d called him last night to confirm their plans today, give him room to back out if he’d changed his mind. If he had, she couldn’t blame him—she hadn’t made the best impression, but for whatever reason, they clicked. That phone call turned into a conversation that lasted three hours. She’d done most the talking Monday, but she got her turn to ask him questions last night and had her heartstrings wound when he told her the story of his childhood.
The alarm on her phone beeped. She turned it off and fought the temptation to lay down again. Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she gave herself a pep talk and promised her body she’d take it easy today. An hour walk through the caverns couldn’t be too strenuous, and she’d made a reservation at a local tea room in the evening, allowing plenty of time for the claims adjuster to finish.
An hour later, she walked out of her room a new person. The steaming shower worked wonders, renewing and limbering her tensed muscles. She’d dressed casually in a pair of bootcut jeans, a boho-chic blouse, and a loose-knit sweater to keep her warm underground. She left her hair down but wore a fabric headband to keep her
hair from falling into her eyes.
Climbing down the steps, she realized she hadn’t eaten breakfast. One day she’d learn to eat meals on a schedule. She didn’t see Matt anywhere and grabbed a banana from the complimentary breakfast bar. The blueberry muffins tempted her, but she’d indulged too much this week. She sat down with her fruit and a glass of orange juice to wait for Matt.
He appeared five minutes later, his facial muscles reflecting a tense state. “Sorry, I’m late. My principal called about a problem with one of my students.”
“What happened?”
“He got into a fight. The school has a zero-tolerance policy for violence, and the principal wanted my opinion on how to proceed.” He gave her a pitiful, soulfully sad smile. “He only called because this particular student responds to me when he won’t listen to anyone else.”
“I’m sorry.” She touched his arm slightly to show her sympathy—she’d learned during their marathon phone call how much he cared about his students.
“Me too.” He blew out a long breath. “The principal had no choice but to suspend Ayden but agreed I can tutor him so he won’t fall behind.”
“How long is the suspension?”
“Fifteen school days.”
She cringed. “That’s hefty.”
“It’s not his first offense.” Matt twisted his lips then sighed. “He’s a troubled kid with loads of potential hiding under his anger.”
“At the risk of sounding trite, at least he has you who won’t give up on him.”
“You’re right. I won’t.” His frown transformed into a smile—forced, but there nonetheless. “I didn’t mean to start the day out on a bum note.”
“It’s okay. Caring about your students is a part of you.”
“Thanks for understanding.” He smiled, a genuine one that reached his cheeks and eyes. “Ready to explore the deep underground?”
“I’m ready.”
“Mind if I drive?” He pulled a set of keys from his jeans pocket.
“Scared of me behind the wheel?”
He gave her a sideways grin. “Think I’m going to admit that?”
