by Linda Warren
The night Jena’s baby was born, Norma had borrowed Mrs. Carter’s car to make the trip to Dallas. Her father’s truck had been seized by the sheriff and that was the only way to get Jena out of town.
“I don’t know,” Norma replied. “But I think Hilary said she died. Mrs. Brown, too.”
Her cell buzzed and Jena pulled it out of her pocket. Hilary left a text. Saw the flowers. Fabulous. Tks.
“Just Hilary,” she told her mom. She kept hoping Carson would call and say he’d gotten into Jared’s room. So far there was nothing but silence on his end.
They reached the three large half poles cemented in the ground and painted black and yellow, signaling the end of the road before the tracks. As they turned, Jena noticed the trail around the poles that led over the tracks to the school. Kids from this side of town still used it.
Her mother began to tire, so they slowed down. When they reached the house, Norma sank into her chair, exhausted. Jena got a bottle of water they’d bought yesterday for her mother. After a breather on the sofa, she planned to visit Hilary at the café.
“Do you know where Hilary put my knitting?” Norma asked suddenly.
“Uh...no, but I’ll check in your room.”
“I haven’t knitted in a while and today I feel like it.”
Her mother made beautiful things and used to sell them at craft shows at the community center, especially during the holidays. Sometimes it made the difference in getting a gift for Christmas or not.
She searched through her mother’s closet and spotted the red, white and blue bag her mother had made for her knitting. Pulling it out, she stared at the tiny item on top. She picked up the yellow baby’s blanket. Unfolding it, she found a yellow baby’s cap, sweater and bootees.
“Oh,” she moaned, sinking to the floor. Her mother had made these for Jena’s baby. She held them to her chest and tears ran down her cheeks. Her baby would never wear them. Her baby...
She quickly wiped away the tears. She couldn’t do this anymore. She’d cried enough.
As she meticulously folded the items, a stray hiccup left her throat, and then she placed the items on the top shelf at the back so her mother wouldn’t see them. But Jena would know where they were and her heart would ache every time she thought of them.
Finding the baby things gave her the impetus she needed. She wasn’t waiting around anymore for Carson. Pulling her cell out of her pocket, she called him. It went to voice mail. That was strange. He was the constable and should be readily available.
She left her mother knitting and went into town. Carson wasn’t at his office. Since he wasn’t there she drove to the café. The parking lot was full and she had to ease in next to a big truck on the far side. She would check out Hilary’s working situation for herself. She was in a mood to take on the world.
The bell on the door jangled as she went through it. Removing her sunglasses, she glanced around. The noise was deafening as people chatted, laughed and visited. Some were in their Sunday clothes, others in jeans. They milled around a buffet that had been set out. The wood tables and chairs were full, as were the red booths along the side wall. A mural graced the far wall—one of Hilary’s murals of a rainbow and clouds with children picking flowers along the lower left corner. Hilary was spreading her cheer everywhere.
Red barstools were along the counter. When a man slid off one and ambled toward the door, she maneuvered through the crowd and eased onto it.
Mabel sat at the cash register near the door with another woman. It had to be her daughter, Beatrice. Jena didn’t see Hilary.
“Ma’am—” a girl about twenty wearing an apron spoke to her “—it’s a brunch buffet. You serve yourself. You have to buy a ticket from Bea.” She pointed to the woman at the cash register.
“Thank you.” She had no plans to buy a ticket. As she looked around, she didn’t see anyone she knew. None of Hilary’s guy friends were here. Willow Creek was now full of strangers, and it was just as well. She had no desire to get reacquainted with anyone.
“Hilary,” Bea bellowed above the crowd. “We’re running out of scrambled eggs and biscuits. Why aren’t you keeping up?”
Hilary rushed out in an apron and a hairnet. She removed a large pan from the buffet and slid in another full of scrambled eggs. In a few minutes she was back with a tray full of biscuits.
“You might have to help Sally bus the tables,” Bea told Hil, and it took all of Jena’s strength to stay seated. Hil was run off her feet, and she wanted to tell the woman to bus them herself, but she wouldn’t embarrass Hilary.
Hil brought out a large container and began to remove plates and glasses from a table. People were waiting. She sprayed disinfectant on the table, wiped it and removed the container. As Hil turned, she saw Jena.
“What are you doing here?”
“I came to talk, but I can see you’re busy.”
“Yeah.” Hil frowned. “We can talk at home.”
“Hilary, we’re out of bacon,” Bea shouted.
Without another word, Hil darted off to do Bea’s bidding. Jena made her way to the door.
“Hey.” Bea stopped her. “Did you pay?”
Jena faced the stout overweight woman. “No. I didn’t eat anything.”
“Then what are you doing here?”
Before she could answer, Mabel struggled to her feet, holding on to a cane. “You’re Hilary’s sister, Jena. Hilary didn’t say you were home.”
“Yes, I...uh...” Why hadn’t Hilary mentioned that she was home? There had to be a reason for that. She’d told Hil she didn’t care whom she told. But Hil probably didn’t want to stir up all the old rumors. Or Hil was embarrassed by her sister’s presence in Willow Creek. “I just came in to tell Hilary something.”
“Jena, is that you? Stacey said you were back.”
She swung around to see Tammy Sue Faulkner, another girl from high school. “Yes. Hi, Tammy Sue.”
“Damn, you look good after having a kid.” Tammy Sue thumbed over her shoulder to a group of kids at a table. “I have five now and I get bigger with each one.” Tammy Sue looked around. “Didn’t bring your kid? I don’t blame you. I leave mine whenever I can.”
The restaurant became painfully quiet and all eyes were on her. Hilary stood in the kitchen doorway with a horrified expression on her face. The retort on Jena’s lips died. “Good to see you, Tammy Sue.” She glanced at the older woman who was hanging on every word. “You, too, Mabel.”
Jena made a quick exit, feeling the past weighing on her like a heavy blanket. Maybe she was always going to have that feeling, but she would never embarrass Hilary. They would talk tonight, though. There would be tears, yelling and possibly anger. Through it all she hoped they’d remember they were sisters. It bothered her that Hil hadn’t told anyone she was home. Was she ashamed of her sister?
* * *
CARSON WAS TAKING Trey fishing, and Claire had decided to come along with her Barbie dolls. As he was putting gas into his truck at the convenience store, he noticed Jena’s car at the café. He’d thought of calling her several times over the past couple of days but figured they needed some breathing space.
Getting in his truck, he said, “Hey, guys, let’s go over to the café and see if Hilary made chocolate chip cookies today. We can have them after the fried chicken Aunt Fran fixed for us.”
“It’ll take too long, Dad,” Trey complained.
“I want a chocolate chip cookie,” Claire said.
“It won’t take long, son, and we have all day.”
He drove across the highway. The truck next to Jena’s car backed out, and he zoomed into the spot. Trey jumped out and Carson helped Claire. As they rounded the truck, Jena came toward them, head down. She seemed upset.
“Jena...”
“Oh.”
He’d startled her. Her dark eyes were big and rounded. And sad. She was upset about something.
“I called you earlier and you didn’t answer,” she said in a rush.
“Did you leave a message?” He reached for his phone to check.
“No.”
“Did you need something?” He slipped his phone back into the case on his belt.
“I wanted to talk.”
“We’re going fishing,” Trey said. “Want to come with us? You can talk to Dad then.”
Jena looked down at Trey, as if she hadn’t realized he was standing there. “Uh...no, thanks. I have to check on my mom.”
“I got a new rod and reel for making all A’s. I’m gonna catch that big ol’ fish in Willow Creek. You have to come watch.”
“Yeah, we want you to come,” Claire added for good measure.
Indecision flittered across Jena’s beautiful face. He should just tell his kids to stop pestering her but found he couldn’t. He wanted her to come, too.
“The kids’ll be playing and we can talk.” Something was troubling her and to his surprise he wanted to help. And she had called him. He wanted to find out why.
“I have to fix my mom’s lunch.”
Carson looked at his watch. “We can pick you up in fifteen minutes.”
“O-okay.”
“Yay!” Claire clapped.
Carson watched her drive away. His invitation blew his resolution to play it cool with Jena. He couldn’t be cool when he was hot and bothered around her.
And he had no idea where his feelings were going to take him. He just knew he couldn’t stop thinking about her.
* * *
TWENTY MINUTES LATER, Jena sat on the passenger side of Carson’s truck, wondering what she was doing. She probably wasn’t thinking straight after the incident at the café, but if this was the only way to talk to Carson, then so be it.
“No constable’s car today?” She buckled her seat belt.
“It’s much easier to carry a rod and reel in my truck.”
“Wait till you see my new rod and reel, Jena,” Trey said from the backseat. “It’s so cool. It’s a Zebco, and Dad put the line and weights on last night. I helped. I’m gonna catch that big catfish Mr. Walt and Mr. Henry talk about.”
“That’s Ethan’s dad and Levi’s grandfather,” Carson explained.
“I know,” she replied, her voice sounding testy for no reason other than she was upset with herself for being a patsy. “I was raised in Willow Creek. Mr. Walt and Mr. Henry are well-known characters.”
Carson glanced at her but didn’t say anything.
They passed the entrance to the Bar C, and then Carson pulled into a lane that had a barbed-wire gate. “Okay, buddy, you’re up.” He looked over his shoulder at Trey.
“I’ll be glad when Claire gets old enough to open gates,” Trey grumbled as he got out.
“Uh-uh, Daddy. I’m not opening gates.”
“Okay, princess,” Carson said, “but let’s make that decision when you’re older.”
Soon they were off through a pasture of cows, and then they drove through a thicket into an opening. Willow Creek sparkled like a bright ribbon in the distance. Carson stopped beneath an old live oak growing between the willows.
“We’ll have lunch first,” Carson told the kids.
“Ah, Dad.”
“Don’t complain, son. Once you start fishing you’re not going to want to stop.”
“Okay.”
Carson unloaded the truck and spread a large old quilt on the ground. Claire plopped in the middle with her dolls.
Trey showed her his new rod and reel. “Isn’t it cool? It’s black and red.”
“Very cool,” she replied.
“This line is tough. It’ll hold a big fish, right, Dad?”
“Yes, son. Sit down—it’s time for lunch.”
Jena munched on a piece of fried chicken and watched Carson interact with his kids. They chatted about nonsensical things and Jena relaxed. There were no staring eyes or judgmental attitudes here, just peace and quiet. Maybe a person could never go home again, especially when they’d left under such horrifying circumstances.
“I’m getting the worms, Dad. I gotta fish.” Trey jumped up and went to the truck. Claire was asleep on the quilt. Carson rubbed her back with a serene expression on his face.
“Bring Claire’s big pillow,” Carson shouted after him.
Trey came back with a huge black-and-white velvety-looking cat pillow in one hand and a coffee can in the other.
Handing his dad the cat pillow, Trey asked Jena, “Are you scared of worms?”
“No.”
“Really? Most girls freak out, except Kelsey. Look.” He shoved the can in front of her.
She looked down into the dark dirt and saw thick worms poking through.
“Gross, huh?”
She smiled. Trey was trying his best to scare her. He probably did this to all girls, especially Claire. Reaching in the can, she pulled out a fat worm. “Not gross at all.”
“I don’t think you’re going to scare Jena, son,” Carson remarked.
“She’s cool, huh, Dad?”
“Real cool.” Carson grinned at her and her stomach fluttered with unwanted excitement. But she couldn’t deny that instant attraction.
“Uh...you have to give it back,” Trey said. “They’re expensive. We buy them from Mr. Higginbooth. He has a worm farm. Really.”
“I know.” She dropped the worm into the can. Mr. Higginbooth was well-known for his fishing worms, even when she’d lived in Willow Creek.
“I’m gonna catch Ol’ Big today. Kelsey will be so jealous.” He picked up the can of worms, his rod and reel and headed for the creek.
Carson tucked the big pillow under Claire’s head. “She doesn’t have to go to school and she was up at five this morning. I made her go back to bed, but I could hear her playing in her room. She’ll be out for a while. I better check on Trey. He’s not used to the new rod and reel and he might wrap it around a tree.” He strolled to the creek.
Claire whimpered, and Jena scooted closer and rubbed her back like Carson had done. It seemed the natural thing to do. Claire drifted into deep sleep.
The sun burned brightly, but the thick foliage of the live oak kept them shaded. The June day was getting a little warm, though.
Carson sank down on the quilt. “That boy is stubborn. He says he can do it on his own.”
Jena watched as Trey cast the line and reeled it back in, over and over. “Why doesn’t he leave the line in the water?”
“He says he’s mastering his technique for when he catches Ol’ Big. In truth, he’s playing. That’s what little boys do.” Carson looked down at his daughter. “Miss Princess is out?”
“Yeah.” Jena put the leftover chicken, bread and fruit in the picnic basket.
“You said you wanted to talk,” Carson reminded her. “What about?”
She sank back on her heels, seeing in her mind’s eye the yellow baby’s outfit hidden in her mother’s closet. “I wanted you to know that just because we had a moment of insanity I won’t stop searching for my child.”
His eyes narrowed. “A moment of insanity?”
“God.” She closed her eyes and ran her hands through her hair. “What are we doing, Carson? I shouldn’t be here with you and your kids having a picnic.”
“Why not?”
She stared into his warm green eyes and saw everything that was good and right in a dark confusing world. The green depths reminded her of spring: growth, renewal, rebirth, a new future. How could that be?
Carson Corbett was only going to hurt her.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“IS THIS WHAT you were upset about when
we met you at the café?” Carson asked. Her sad dark eyes were breaking his heart in ways he never dreamed possible. “You think I’m trying to charm you into forgetting about our deal?”
“What?” She blinked. “I wasn’t upset.”
“Yes, you were. You looked hurt.”
“Oh, that.” She dismissed it with a wave of her hand.
“What was it?”
She played with the handle on the basket, and he thought she wasn’t going to answer. “I went to the café to talk to Hilary and found out she hadn’t told anyone I was back.”
“Did anyone say anything to you?”
“Mabel recognized me, and then Tammy Sue Faulkner had to say hello and tell me how childbirth hadn’t changed my figure. She looked around for my kid. Everyone did. I wanted to tell them my child was stolen, but the words wouldn’t come. I left like a coward. Nine years and nothing has changed. I’m still Jena Brooks from the wrong side of the tracks. I’m angry at myself for not saying anything.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Because of Hilary. I didn’t want to embarrass her. If she hasn’t told anyone I’m home, she must not want them to know.”
He touched her hand, which had a death grip on the basket. “I’m sorry.”
She stared down at his hand. “Don’t touch me.”
“Why?” He didn’t remove his hand.
“You know why.”
“I like touching you.”
She stared at him and he wanted to tell her everything would be okay, but most of all he wanted to tell her that she could trust him.
“I like you touching me, too,” she said in a low voice. “But it’s wrong and we both know it.”
“Somehow that doesn’t seem to matter.”
“Carson—” she blinked back a tear “—today I found some knitting of my mother’s. She was making clothes for my baby. Clothes my child will never wear. That brought home to me that I must find my child. I must know what happened to it. I need to know for my own sanity.”
His hand squeezed hers. “I promise I will do everything in my power to help you find the truth. Just give me some time.”
