The Missing Piece (Inspirational Love Story)

by Carol McCormick

  Lorraine was sure that her cold cheeks were redder after seeing Doug grin at the remark. Linda smiled too, as she walked into the living room carrying mugs of steaming hot chocolate. She set the tray on the table and distributed the cups, then sat down and tucked her feet beneath her on the chair. Doug stood behind Linda for a moment, kneading her shoulders before sitting down on the floor by her feet.

  “Umm, mini-marshmallows.” Lorraine sipped her drink then set the mug down on the table. “This cabin is beautiful. Do you live here year round?”

  “No, we have a place in Fredonia. The cabin’s my weekend winter retreat for tobogganing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling.” Doug rested his arm across Linda’s leg and rubbed her knee. “We love it here, don’t we, honey?”

  “Yeah, it’s also his summer retreat for fishing in the pond, barbecuing on the grill and soaking up the sun in the yard.”

  Doug gave Linda’s knee a gentle squeeze. “We should just sell the other house and move out here, huh?”

  “Oh, no you don’t,” Linda teasingly scolded. “You know I don’t like to drive any more than I have to.” She turned to Lorraine. “I teach at Fredonia High School, and it only takes me two minutes to drive to work. I need those extra few minutes to sleep in.”

  Doug smiled at Linda and patted her knee. “Don’t worry. The Lord’s put me in the right business to accommodate both of our dreams.”

  Beth was the first to finish her mug of hot cocoa. Obviously bored by adult conversation, she scampered off to a little table in the corner and arranged plastic dishes for a tea party, as her baby doll sat in a chair waiting to be served.

  “Uncle Dylan, would you like some tea?”

  Dylan glanced over at Lorraine and winked. “Well, since I’m fresh out of hot chocolate, I’d love some. Excuse me, ladies. It’s tea time.”

  Lorraine cradled her mug to warm her hands as she watched Dylan sit on the squatty stool with his knees bent clear to his ears.

  “Would you like regular or peppermint tea?” Beth inquired with a dignified voice.

  “Ummm, delicious hot tea with cream and honey. I’ll have the regular.”

  Beth held the top of the teapot to ensure that it didn’t move then poured water into his cup.

  “Why, thank you, ma’am,” he said with a slow Southern drawl.

  Beth giggled.

  Dylan picked up the little plastic cup and it nearly disappeared in his hand. He took a sip and scowled. “’Tis a wee bit hot,” he quipped with a thick Irish brogue.

  Beth giggled again then placed a graham cracker on his plate.

  Lorraine watched the scene from the edge of the loveseat with her chin propped in the palm of her hand, wondering if Dylan would have played tea party with his own little girl in much the same way. Would he have taken the time to read bedtime stories and then kiss her goodnight? Would he have had the same patience when her little hands fumbled at buttons on dresses or ties on her shoes? Seeing him now, how he interacted with Beth, assured her that it all would be true.

  Linda broke into Lorraine’s musing and whispered, “Beth is crazy about your Dylan.”

  “Oh, he’s not my—,” she meant to finish her sentence, but let her voice trail off instead.

  Dylan picked up his graham cracker then took a small bite. “These are delicious, Miss Baker.” This time Dylan spoke with an English accent as he leaned forward. “I must have the recipe for these scrumptious crumpets.”

  Beth’s eyes disappeared into little slits and she giggled so hard that cracker crumbs fell onto her lap.

  Dylan leaned back on the stool, barely an inch, but it proved just enough movement combined with adult weight on the child-sized furniture, so that the stool collapsed beneath him and he crashed onto the floor.

  Beth was beside herself with giddiness as both of her dimpled hands now covered her mouth. The three spectators didn’t even try to stifle their laughter as they held their stomachs and roared hysterically.

  Dylan stood up and smacked bits of cracker crumbs from his thighs. “Well what do you know? I’ve gone from being a teetotaler at parties, to totaling tea parties.”

  They all pointed and roared some more while trying to control their hilarity. Dylan picked up the dishes and the broken stool legs and said, “How about if I take this home and fix it for you, Beth?”

  Beth smiled and nodded enthusiastically as though it was all part of the fun.

  Once Doug contained his laughter, he asked, “Anyone up for a game of Monopoly? I’ll play anything except Trivial Pursuit. Linda creamed me last time we played together. She’s not only a science teacher, but a vegetarian too, so she knew most of the nutrition and health questions.”

  “Hey, can vegetarians eat animal crackers?” Dylan asked.

  The trio groaned and rolled their eyes.

  The men set the card table in place and opened the board then divvied up the money, while the women snapped open the folding chairs.

  Doug poked through the tokens looking for the racecar. “So when are you two tying the knot again?”

  Lorraine’s hand froze on the stack of deeds for lack of an answer, but Dylan stepped in for her. “It’s been tied and untied, now we just need to retie before we retire,” he said, shuffling the orange and yellow cards.

  “Is that a tongue twister?” Doug asked before continuing. “We’ve been married twelve years and couldn’t be happier. You know what they say, it’s the little things that make or break a relationship.”

  “Seems I’m in the breaking department,” Dylan said, glancing at the stool pieces in the corner.

  Doug scratched his head and smiled. “Yeah, the little things. Everyone told me that paper was the traditional gift to give for the first anniversary. I offered to make Linda an origami swan, but she didn’t want it, so I bought her a newspaper instead.”

  Linda shook her head. “Um-hum, for our twelfth anniversary he offered to buy me a dozen donuts, but I told him I’d rather have a few carats instead.” Then she grinned and flapped her hand to show off a diamond ring.

  “Oh, Linda, it’s beautiful!” Lorraine said.

  “Thank you, thank you,” she beamed, touching her hand to her heart. “Twelve years last week to be exact.”

  “Okay, okay, enough talk about donuts and carrots. You’re making me hungry. Let’s roll to see who starts.” Doug shook the dice then passed them clockwise. Linda rolled highest for first turn, which began the onset of Doug’s favorite game; the buying, selling and building of properties.

  Beth quietly played with her tea set for over an hour while the Monopoly game ensued. By four o’clock, Lorraine’s pile of money had dwindled down to a few ones and a ten, as Doug conveniently brought to everyone’s attention.

  “It’s not fair. You buy and sell for a living. Give me a few medical questions and I’d beat you all.”

  “Sorry. Linda keeps reminding me to tone down my competitive edge. It has a tendency to spill over in the game realm too.”

  Dylan slipped Lorraine a few bills under the table, and although the others saw the smirk on his face and the exchange that he made, Lorraine discreetly tucked the money under the board next to her shrinking pile. Dylan glanced in her direction, wiggled his eyebrows up and down then pretended to wobble a cigar between his fingers and thumb. “There’s more where that came from, shweethart.”

  Lorraine burst out laughing. “I’m sorry,” she held her hand up in surrender, “but you’re all nutty!”

  “True, but now you’re part of the fruitcake too,” Doug teased, bugging out his eyes.

  “Well, I don’t know about you all, but I’m ready to crash. No wait, let me rephrase that, I am ready for a nap.” Dylan leaned back in his chair and stifled a yawn with his fist.

  “Me, too. All that fresh air and exercise really tired me out,” Lorraine said, pushing her chair away from the table and picking up their mugs.

  “I’ll get those,” Linda intercepted.

  “No, let me help. It’s t
he least I can do. You’ve been such a great hostess and I’ve had a wonderful time.” Lorraine walked into the kitchen and set the cups in the sink.

  When Lorraine returned to the living room, Dylan was in the corner collecting the broken stool, and saying good-bye to Beth. Lorraine walked over to Dylan then squatted down by the small table near the two of them. “It was very nice to meet you, Beth.”

  Beth took a small, unexpected step forward, looped her arms around Lorraine’s neck, and gave her a quick little hug. The innocent expression of affection nearly brought tears to Lorraine’s eyes and at that moment, it was all she could do to keep them from falling. What a sweet child, she thought, as she smoothed the top of Beth’s hair before saying good-bye and turning to leave.

  Dylan stood at the door with Lorraine’s coat in his hand. She slipped her arms into the sleeves, and said, “Thank you both for everything. I had a lot of fun.”

  “We’ll have to do it again sometime.” Doug grasped Dylan’s shoulder and then gave it a pat.

  “Soon,” Dylan said, smiling, as he escorted Lorraine out the door.

  After rounding the curve on Bradigan Road, Dylan adjusted the temperature on the car heater. “How about grabbing a quick sandwich and eating down by the lake?

  “That would be nice.”

  “Nothing but the royal treatment for you, m’ lady. Will it be Burger King or Dairy Queen?”

  Lorraine dipped her head in mock suffering. “I’ll just take the King.”

  Twenty minutes later, Dylan turned into the burger palace parking lot and swung around to the drive through window. He ordered their food then handed the bag to Lorraine before pulling into the flow of traffic. She folded the top of the bag down to keep the food warm as she held it on her lap.

  “How about one of those French fries?”

  “Not while you’re driving.”

  “C’mon, Lorraine, I’m starving.”

  “Eyes on the road, both hands on the wheel, ten and two o’clock positions.” Smiling, she took a French fry from the bag and jiggled it in front of his face.

  Dylan quickly reached up and snatched the fry so fast that Lorraine squealed through her giggles. “The hand is quicker than the fry,” he said, as he folded it into his mouth. But just as quickly as he stuffed the fry in, he yanked it back out again and threw it on the floor. “That thing is hot! It’s like biting into a lightening bolt!”

  Lorraine burst out laughing. “It didn’t feel that hot to me,” she teased.

  “Well you didn’t bit into the middle of it. That is one hot potato!”

  “Serves you right for stealing it.” She smiled like a guilty cat with a canary in its mouth, and then she tucked the bag between them on the seat.

  Most of the roads in town were bare compared to the ones in the hills. Turning off Route 60, they followed Route 5 along the lake to the dock where they parked and unwrapped their sandwiches, then began to eat them. An elderly couple stood by the shore tossing breadcrumbs onto the snow-covered ground. A flock of gulls screeched to their friends and suddenly a blanket of beating wings surrounded the man and woman.

  Dylan thought of Mrs. Jenkins and her story.

  The Clarks finished their meal in silence, gazing out the windshield as though watching a drive-in movie. Content to be together, content to be alone, like the elderly couple on the shore. The lake was calm tonight. Its gentle waves rolling into the warmer waters of the harbor, lapping against the dock with a slow methodical whoosh, before receding out to the horizon again.

  After he finished his sandwich, Dylan opened the car window then picked up the French fry from the floor, and tossed the erring potato outside. A seagull swooped down and flew away with it in its beak.

  “I am ready to doze off,” Lorraine said, after finishing her meal. “All that playing in the fresh air tired me out.

  “C’mere,” Dylan said, pulling her over and resting her back against his chest. His hand slid around her shoulders as he curled his arm around the front of her collarbone. Her nylon parka swished each time she moved. She leaned further back against him and he reveled in the perfect fit. Her breathing gently rose and fell like a breeze on a balmy day. Dylan pulled her coat closed around her neck. “Cold?” When she shook her head no, he stroked her hair for a few moments and then spoke in a slow, rhythmic tone. “You know, the greatest sound in the world to me is hearing your voice. I love the way you talk. The way you walk. The way you smile. I love the way you laugh and the way you turn around and look at me, when you’re trying so hard not to. I love everything about you, Lorraine.”

  She shifted slightly and moaned, as a train whistle cried in the distance.

  He smoothed her hair again and kissed the top of her head then looked down at her face. Her eyes were closed and she looked more beautiful than he’d ever remembered seeing her.

  “Humm...?” she shifted against him.

  “Don’t leave me, Lorraine.”

  She didn’t respond, so he said it again.

  Suddenly, Lorraine jerked up and turned. “Did you say it’s time to leave? What time is it? I must have dozed off for a moment. At least I think it was a moment.” She shoved her sleeve above her wrist. “I have to leave now. I work the late shift tonight.”

  “Don’t leave me,” he said, almost whispering now. “I mean ever.”

  Lorraine’s gaze fell to her hands where they fidgeted with the gloves on her lap. “Oh, Dylan.” She lifted her gloves up and then down. “It’s not that I want to leave. I’m just not ready to stay.”

  “Why not?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Yes you do. You’re scared.”

  Lorraine sat in silence with her head low.

  “I’ve made a lot of mistakes in the past and I can almost guarantee that I’ll make my share of them in the future.” He tipped his head back and closed his eyes, searching for guidance from above. “Lorraine, as long as I feed on God’s word, I’ll grow spiritually. It’s not like I’m merely turning over a new leaf or making a New Year’s resolution to improve my life.” He leaned toward her, his voice strong and steady when he spoke. “Can’t you see? The Lord is working in me. I couldn’t have done any of this by myself.”

  Pausing for a response, he continued when none came. “You’re tripping over things that are behind you, rather than looking ahead at the path before you.”

  “Please take me home now. I have to get ready for work,” she folded her arms in front of her and looked out into the night.

  Dylan drew in a deep sighing breath, as he turned the key in the ignition and backed away from the lake.

  “Aren’t you going to turn your lights on?”

  “Why should I?”

  “Dylan! Turn on your lights before we hit something!”

  He turned the knob. “What’s the big deal?”

  “What is wrong with you?”

  “Nothing. I’m just trying to make a point. Wouldn’t it be foolish of me to drive in the dark with the lights off?”

  “Insane.”

  “And wouldn’t it be just as crazy to think I could see your house from here, even with the lights on?”

  “Of course.”

  “I can only see what’s in front of me within the range of my headlights.”

  “Okay, I agree already. So what’s your point?”

  “The way it appears to me is that you’re trying to see miles down the road before you even get there.” Dylan turned the car onto Brigham Road. “When you walk according to God’s Word, it’s like using a flashlight in the dark. When you have a light at your feet, you’re not afraid to take the next step, because you can see where you’re going.” Dylan eased up on the accelerator when he crossed the railroad tracks.

  “There are no guarantees that the journey will be smooth, but if you use the Light it will help you get over the bumps in the road. Do you see what I’m saying, Lorraine? I’m less likely to stumble or fall because He shows me which way to go.” Dylan glanced over at her reflect
ion in the car door window. “Are you even listening to me?”

  “I’m listening.” Lorraine stared out the passenger window the rest of the way home.

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  “So how was your trip?” Lorraine asked, while sliding into the booth and shrugging off her coat.

  “Incredible! You have to see it to believe it!” Connie shook her head at the magnitude of it all.

  A waitress approached their table and handed each of the women a menu. A moment barely passed before she returned with pen and pad poised in hand. Connie glanced up at the woman whose hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, and said, “I’ll have a ham club sandwich and a diet cola.”

  Lorraine raised her eyebrows, but then ordered the same. When the waitress left, she said, “Ham club? You hate ham.”

  “It was the first thing on the menu. I didn’t want to be rude when she came back so soon.”

  “Your trip has done you wonders.”

  “Why do you say that?” Connie folded her arms across the table and leaned forward.

  “I don’t know. You seem more relaxed.”

  “What can I say? I needed a vacation.”

  “Well, you certainly browned up nicely in the Bahamas while I was up here freezing like an icicle.”

  Connie laughed. “You make me sound like a turkey. Anyway, you should have come with me.”

  “I’m not scheduled for time off until after the first.” Lorraine leaned back against the padded booth as she watched a small girl at a nearby table stuff an entire cracker into her mouth. A few seconds later, the whole cracker popped back out like a PEZ dispenser. Lorraine turned her head to hide her amusement from the mother. “So, tell me all about your trip.”

  “Oh, it was wonderful. You’ve never seen such white sand, blue skies, or bronze guys.”

  Lorraine twirled the salt shaker on the table as she listened.

  “It was so relaxing. I lounged on the beach like a rich movie star, drinking mango juice from a coconut shell. They even had those little paper umbrellas in the drinks.” Connie held up a finger and thumb to show the exact size. “I buried my toes in the sand all day then mingled with the locals at night.”