“And what’s going on with you?” Lily asked, directing a question her way this time.
“Oh, the usual. Work, sleep, work some more,” she replied. “I delivered a baby this week.”
She piqued her friend’s interest and went on to tell her the whole story. She also told her the more scary episode with Baby Nathan across the hall.
“Seen your new neighbor much?”
“Some,” she said, trying not to give anything away. Lily wasn't easily fooled.
“Come on. What’s that look for?”
Josie said they were getting acquainted and becoming friends, but that Brandon had taken an interest in Allison. She didn’t tell her about having dinner with him last night, mostly for Brandon’s sake. She felt she needed to keep the things he had shared with her to herself.
Josie changed the subject by asking Lily about her work, and they went on to other things from there. Lily didn’t say anything about Mark, and she didn’t ask.
Sunday morning Josie overslept and decided to only attend the eleven o’clock church service. When she and Tommy left the apartment, they stopped by Brandon’s to see if he had left yet, but no one came to the door. She assumed he had gone earlier for the Bible study class that they both usually attended before service, but she saw no sign of him at church either. She wondered if he had decided to go to Eugene since she hadn’t seen or heard from him since Friday night.
After returning to the apartment for lunch, Tommy asked if they could go ice skating at the mall and Josie agreed. They skated most of the afternoon, had dinner at the food court, and then went back to church for the evening programs. Brandon was there, but she didn’t get a chance to ask him where he had been that morning until he drove her and Tommy home.
“I had some thinking to do. I went for a drive up the Columbia River Gorge.”
“Did you make any decisions?”
“I am going to call Kristin, but I’m not sure when. I may wait until I go home for a few days next month.”
Josie didn’t probe further. She wanted to ask if he had told Allison about any of this yet, but she didn’t. It wasn’t any of her business, she decided.
After getting Tommy into bed, Josie went to the kitchen to make some coffee and have a snack. She hadn’t checked her messages since coming home and saw she had one waiting. She listened as the familiar voice came through.
“Hi. It’s your sister. I’m back in New York and will be here for several days sorting through all my pictures from Spain, deciding on the precious few that I’ll be handing over to my photo editor. I talked to him today, and he says he might have something else for me by the end of the week. I’ll have to get back to you on whether or not I’ll be coming home for that visit I keep promising. I may have some slack time before I need to jet off to wherever, or I may have to get started right away. I’ll do my best, but right now I can’t say anything for sure. Hopefully I’ll be seeing you soon. Love you. Bye.”
Josie felt bad she had missed her sister’s call. And she also realized how much she was missing Natalie. This was the longest she had ever gone without seeing her, and she couldn’t hold back a few tears.
She worked two routine shifts on the maternity ward early in the week and was looking forward to her days off as she clocked out on Wednesday morning. Gina met her in the hall on her way out.
“Are you going to make it to my house for dinner tomorrow night?”
Gina had invited her last week, and she had been debating. “I’m not sure if my sitter can watch Tommy. I’ll have to check and let you know.”
“He’s a nice guy, Josie. I promise,” she pouted. “He says he goes to church.”
This wasn’t the first time Gina had set her up on a blind date. So far her friend’s attempts to hook her up with someone hadn’t been successful. The men Gina chose hadn’t been horrible, but not her type. And more than one of them hadn’t been exactly thrilled when they discovered she had a child.
But it had been close to a year since Gina had practiced her matchmaking skills on her. She had enjoyed the reprieve while she had been dating Mark. She supposed a simple dinner couldn’t be too disastrous with Gina and her husband to carry the conversation if things didn’t click between her and this “nice guy”.
When she went to pick up Tommy, she asked Mrs. Ramsey if she had any plans on Thursday evening. Vivian said she didn’t and would be more than happy to have Tommy for a few hours.
Josie didn’t go the extra mile to try to impress her mystery date as she prepared to leave the following evening. A bit of make-up. Her hair worn loosely at her shoulders. Navy slacks and an off-white blouse. Simple. Either this guy would like her or he wouldn’t and vice-versa. She wasn’t holding her breath.
Tommy didn’t want her to go and was slow about getting ready to leave. She had to bribe him to get him out the door.
“I’ll be back by eight. I promise. And I’ll let you stay up an extra half-hour. Okay?”
“Can I take a movie to watch at Mrs. Ramsey’s?”
She agreed and waited for him to select one of his favorites from the rack before they headed for the second floor. Mrs. Ramsey seemed slow in answering the door, and Josie saw her straining to stand upright fully as Tommy entered the apartment.
“Are you all right, Vivian?”
“Things are a bit stiff tonight. But I’ll be fine. You have a nice time, dear.”
Josie held the door open and stepped inside. “Let me help you back to the chair.”
Vivian tried to sit, but even with Josie’s help she had to stop half way. “I think I’ll walk around a bit.”
“You need to lie down.” Josie wasn’t going to take no for an answer and began steering Vivian toward the bedroom.
“I’ll be all right. I just took some medicine, and it hasn’t kicked in yet. That’s all.”
“It will kick in sooner if you are lying down,” she said, not wavering in her resolve to see Vivian safely into bed. Mrs. Ramsey’s lack of further protest convinced her this was the best thing.
Vivian looked better as soon as she was off her feet and resting comfortably on the mattress. Josie knew she couldn’t leave Tommy with her if she was hurting this much.
“I can stay if you want me to.”
“No. You go, dear. Tommy and I will be fine.”
“If I go, I’m taking Tommy with me. No arguments. Either we both go or we both stay. You need to rest.”
Vivian sighed. “You can certainly sound like a nurse when you set your mind to it, can’t you?”
Josie laughed. “You better believe it.”
Josie placed the phone within Vivian’s reach. “If you let me leave here and something happens to you, I’m going to feel awful. You’re sure you don’t want us to stay?”
“I feel better now, dear. I think I better stay in this bed, but I’ll be fine. You better scoot, or you’ll be late.”
Josie had no choice but to hope she was telling the truth. She wouldn’t have minded in the least if Vivian had wanted her to stay, and she almost decided to go home rather than going to Gina’s so she would be close by if Vivian did need her. But she knew Gina was expecting her, and she didn’t want Mrs. Ramsey to feel bad about changing her plans.
They arrived at Gina’s condo at six-thirty. She explained about Mrs. Ramsey, and Gina seemed unfazed by Tommy’s presence, saying she had plenty of food. She welcomed them both inside, and Josie didn’t feel overly anxious about bringing Tommy into her friend’s well-decorated home filled with expensive-looking Asian motif. Gina and Greg had only been married for two years and didn’t have any children yet, but Tommy wasn’t the type to run through someone’s home. He generally kept his rambunctiousness on the soccer field and the playground. Indoors he preferred more quiet activities.
Josie met Steve a few minutes later. Greg had taken him upstairs to show him something on his computer. Steve’s eyes lit up when they returned to the living room and he noticed her. A pleasant smile formed on his handsome face.
He crossed the room, and Gina introduced them. Their pleasant exchange made Josie’s hopes rise a bit. Maybe this one had potential.
Tommy had gone to look at the large aquarium in the corner of the room. Steve didn’t notice him until he came back to her side.
“Mommy, come look. They have big goldfish! Way bigger than the ones at school.”
Josie turned to follow Tommy and showed interest in his exciting discovery. When Gina announced dinner was ready, Josie pulled Tommy away from the fish to go sit at the elegantly set dining room table.
Steve avoided her gaze once they were seated. She saw him glance at Tommy several times, but he made no effort to speak to him. Obviously Gina hadn’t told Steve she had a son. He looked as white as a sheet for most of the meal.
After dinner Greg took Tommy to the den to let him play video games while the adults sat out in the living room to talk. Josie mostly listened. Steve didn’t look at her until Gina asked Greg to help her dish up dessert. They went to the kitchen, leaving her and Steve alone.
“Do you work with Greg?” she asked after an uncomfortable silence.
“Yeah. He’s actually my boss.”
More silence.
“Gina said you go to church. Do you mind if I ask where?”
He seemed surprised by her question. “Uhh--I go off and on. Lately I’ve been going to the one near my apartment. I can’t remember the name of it.”
More silence.
“You didn’t know I had a son, did you?”
His eyes snapped up. “It doesn’t bother me.”
Gina and Greg returned. Steve averted his eyes once again. Josie rose to go ask Tommy if he wanted any cheesecake. His wrinkled nose didn’t take her by surprise. He didn’t care for any desserts besides ice cream and cookies, but she had welcomed the excuse to get out of the room.
At best, Steve said a cordial good night to her about a half-hour later. He asked for her phone number, and she gave it to him, but she doubted he’d ever call. Even if he did, she didn’t think she would agree to go out with him.
She couldn’t fault him for being surprised that she was a single mom. In a way she felt sorry for him that Gina hadn’t told him. But he hadn’t even attempted to talk to Tommy or asked anything about him.
Tommy deserved better than that.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Other than talking with Gina on Friday evening briefly about Steve, Josie pushed the entire incident from her mind. She kept waiting for the phone to ring whenever she was home and checking her messages, but not for a call from him. She was anxious to hear from Natalie and find out if her little sister would be coming home soon.
On Sunday afternoon after she showered and prepared to go to Patrick and Faith’s to pick up Tommy, she noticed a message waiting before she headed out. With anticipation she listened to it but didn’t feel terribly disappointed when she discovered it wasn’t from her sister.
“Hi, Josie, this is Brandon. I wanted to let you know I’m going to be gone for a few days. I finally got up the nerve to call Kristin last night, and she agreed to meet me this afternoon, so I’m on my way to Eugene.” He sounded nervous, but also relieved.
“Thanks for your advice. I know this is the right thing to do, and no matter what happens, I’m sure I’ll have more peace about the whole thing. I should be back by Wednesday. I’ll let you know how things go.”
She was glad he had let her know and that he was going. She almost deleted the message after listening to it but stopped herself. His voice stirred something deep inside her, and she couldn’t bring herself to erase it so quickly.
She took the bus to Patrick and Faith’s neighborhood, stopped at the store, and proceeded to their front door a few blocks away. She was in the kitchen unpacking a bag of groceries when Patrick discovered she had arrived.
Tommy came into the room on his heels and ran into her arms. She squeezed him tight. “I missed you.”
When she released him, Tommy grabbed her hand and tugged. “Come on, Mommy. You’ve got to see this.”
She followed his lead into the family room and saw a large black race track set up in the middle of the floor. Josie recognized it as one Patrick had played with as a kid.
Patrick followed them into the room. “It still works. Can you believe it?”
Tommy dove onto the carpet and grabbed one of the controllers, pressing the levers to make one of the cars zing around the corner.
“You still have this?” Josie said, kneeling beside Tommy. She remembered pestering Patrick endlessly to let her have a turn when they had been young.
“Yep,” Patrick said, grinning from ear to ear. “I came across it when I was getting the crib and stuff out of the attic for Holly.”
Josie felt like she had stepped back in time and was looking into the face of her ten-year-old brother again, reminding her how much Tommy looked like him.
She watched them play together for a few minutes and then went to say hello to Holly. Patrick had said both she and Faith were taking naps, but Josie could hear the sound of a crying baby coming from the guest room down the hall.
“Come in,” she heard Holly call out when she knocked on the closed door. Josie entered to find her changing the baby’s diaper.
“Hi!” Holly said with a wide smile.
A crib stood along one wall of the room, and a small bassinet with white lace cascading beneath it sat in the corner. Josie knew the room and furniture well, having spent four years within these walls herself. A flood of memories washed over her as she stepped to Holly’s side.
“How are you?” Josie asked.
“A little tired, but otherwise I’m fine.”
“And how are you, little Sarah?”
“Hungry,” Holly replied for her daughter and lifted her from the changing pad. Carrying her to the bed, she sat down to feed her. Josie took a seat in the rocking chair and watched the new mother begin to feed her baby with ease.
“Is she two weeks old now?”
“Yes. It’s hard to believe. It seems like I was at the hospital a couple of days ago.”
“Have you heard from your mom?”
“No,” Holly said. “She knows I’m here, but she hasn’t called or stopped by.”
“Are you okay?”
“Actually, yes. I know I’m better off being here for now anyway. Patrick and Faith have been so great.”
“I have no doubt about that,” Josie said. Her years of occupying this room had been some of the best years of her life. She continued to sit with Holly, enjoying pleasant conversation with the young girl until Faith poked her head in the doorway.
“Is this a private party, or am I invited too?”
“Come on in,” Holly said, rising to her feet and stepping toward Josie. “Could you hold Sarah while I go to the bathroom?”
“Sure,” she replied, taking the baby from Holly.
“Did you have a good nap?” Josie asked Faith after Holly left the room.
“Yes.”
“Holly seems to be doing well.”
“She’s doing fine. Sarah is a good baby.”
Josie leaned back and rocked the sleeping infant.
“How did your blind date turn out the other night?”
Josie rolled her eyes. “Don’t ask.”
Faith laughed. “Okay. I won’t.”
“Thank you. I appreciate that. In fact, I appreciate it so much I’m sending you on a date.”
“What?”
“Go out there and ask your husband to take you out for a nice dinner. Go on. I’ll stay here and keep Holly company until it’s time to go to church, and I’ll take Aleisha and Lindsey with us. That will give you some good alone-time with your husband.”
“I appreciate the thought, Josie. But--”
“No buts,” Josie interrupted, rising from the chair and grabbing Faith’s hand. She pulled her into the living room.
“What’s going on?” Patrick asked.
“Your wife has something to ask you.”
/> Patrick looked to Faith and Faith replied. “Your sister is kidnapping our children for the evening and sending us off to dinner.”
After they were gone, Josie sat with Holly out in the family room and they talked some more, as much as they were able to with four children to look after. Josie saw herself in the young girl. Holly had the same questions and fears, the same doubts and insecurities she’d had as a new single mom. But Holly had an air of peace within in her. Josie encouraged her to stay close to God, as she had the night Sarah had been born.
“I feel like that’s all I can do,” Holly replied. “I’ve asked God so many times why He put this little life inside of me instead of someone else, and I think I finally understand.”
Josie waited for Holly to share her thoughts. She had asked God that same question many times.
“He knew this is the only way I’d ever find Him. If I hadn’t gotten pregnant, I would still be living the way I used to. I’d be lost and wandering aimlessly through life. But now I know there’s a God that loves me and that no matter what happens, He is by my side.”
Josie was amazed at Holly’s insight, realizing she knew all that but hadn’t put it all together quite that way before.
“Transformed by the grace of God, right?”
“Yes, that’s exactly it. He’s made everything new, and I’ve never been more at peace than I am now. Bizarre, huh?”
“I hear you,” Josie replied. “I can’t look at Tommy without being reminded of God’s love. To think that He would give me such a precious gift? It’s a special thing.”
***
“I wonder where Brandon is tonight,” Allison said to Josie that evening at youth group.
“He didn’t tell you?”
“Tell me what?” Allison asked, tossing her thick braid over her shoulder.
Josie hesitated, feeling surprised Brandon hadn’t talked to Allison about going home. She didn’t feel right telling her anything specific, but she had to say something.
Baby's Breath (Garden of Love 2) Page 14
