The Orphans' Blessing

by Lorraine Beatty

  “How much will these cost us?”

  “Only a heavy dose of elbow grease. He wanted the outside of the building to look like it did back in the day. He said it would be a gift for the bicentennial.”

  She smiled up at the carpenter. “I’m thrilled and the mayor will be pleased. Do we have time to put them in?”

  Buck nodded. “It might make a little bit of a mess but not too much.”

  “And what about the old sign? Will you be able to put it back in place?”

  “Don’t know that yet. I’ll have to see if any of the old support system is still there on the roof, but I’m hopeful.”

  The surprise gifts chased much of her sour mood away, reminding her that this was about Maddie and the people in Blessing who needed this ministry. That was most important. Not her hurt feelings or fanciful dreams.

  Chapter Ten

  Sophie winced as she saw Mona Blair, Hank’s mother, enter the charity closet the next day. Then worked quickly to adjust her attitude. The woman meant well, bless her heart. She smiled and said hello.

  Mona’s gaze scanned the area. “I would have thought you’d be further along by now.”

  Sophie let the dig slide. “Actually, we’re right on schedule. It takes a lot of time to get the clothing sorted and hung.”

  “Hmm.” She looked over the rim of her glasses. “Well, I’m sure you know best. I brought y’all some cupcakes from the shop. I figured you’d need a pick-me-up. German chocolate. Hank’s favorites.”

  Cupcakes from Blair’s Bakery were a favorite in Blessing. Sophie often wondered how a woman with such a sour attitude could create such sweet and satisfying pastries.

  “Thank you. That was very thoughtful.”

  Mona nodded and scanned the area again. “I wanted to let everyone know how the remodel was coming along. Are you sure you’ll be done in time for the grand opening next week? You should have given yourself more time. No need to hurry through this. I’m sure Madeline would have wanted you to take your time.”

  Sophie smiled between gritted teeth. “I’ve followed my sister’s plan to the letter. Everything is just as she wanted it.”

  “I doubt that since she’s not here to take charge, but I’m sure you did your best.”

  “I’ve had a lot of help. The children have especially enjoyed pitching in. It was their idea after all. They really wanted to make their mom’s dream come true.”

  Mona scowled. “I’m not sure I’d call this a dream. We already have stores that collect and distribute clothes for the needy. This seems unnecessary.”

  Sophie shoved her hands into her pockets. “Those places serve a valuable purpose, but sometimes people need more to get their lives back on track. That’s where we come in. We can offer the kind of clothes they need for job interviews.”

  “Well, I don’t see the difference, but I’m not one to criticize. I hear Zach has been deeply involved in this venture, as well.”

  “Yes. He and DJ have done much of the woodworking in here. DJ has shown a real aptitude for carpentry. His father would be very proud.”

  Mona huffed. “Well, if Zach had followed through with his agreement, the boy’s dad might still be here.”

  Sophie’s heart stopped. “What do you mean?”

  Mona stiffened her neck and looked down her nose. “He was supposed to fly Dean and Madeline home from their vacation, but he found something more exciting to do and left them to drive home. That boy was always far too obsessed with airplanes. His parents tried their best to steer him in another direction, but he just had to go his own way.”

  She picked up her purse. “And look where that got him. Spending the rest of his life trying to make amends. Futile, if you ask me. How can you make up for costing those children their parents? Certainly not by remodeling an old bus station. I hope he can forgive himself one day.”

  Sophie didn’t hear the woman’s words as she left. All she could think about was that Zach was somehow responsible for her sister’s death. Could he have prevented it? What had really happened?

  She’d never asked because she’d assumed it was a simple car accident. But now she wondered what had really happened. Had Zach been lying to her all this time? Was his hard work on the remodel nothing more than trying to appease his conscience? For that matter, was his commitment to the children out of love and devotion or was he doing penance for his poor decision?

  A rush of heat shot through her veins. It was time to get the full story of how and why her sister and her husband died. Her heart ached, not only for her loss, but for the discovery that Zach wasn’t the man she’d assumed him to be.

  * * *

  Zach knew the moment Sophie walked into the break room that she was fired up about something. Her hazel eyes were shaded toward brown and her lips were pressed into a hard line. Mentally he prepared himself to fix whatever had gone wrong. Was it a problem at the store? Financial problems? Perhaps a lack of volunteers. Whatever it was, he would do his best to make it right. He didn’t like seeing her upset. “Hey. Everything okay?”

  Her eyes shot bolts of anger in his direction. “We need to talk.”

  His blood chilled. He could fly a chopper through a fierce Gulf storm, land a fixed-wing aircraft in a blizzard, but facing a woman who wanted to talk scared him. Sophie’s angry glare had his mind flashing back to when he’d gotten into trouble as a kid and had to face his dad. A knot of worry formed in his chest.

  “You lied to me. Worse, you broke your promise.”

  “About what?” His mind raced through the last few weeks, trying to see where he might have slipped up.

  “How and why my sister and her husband died.”

  Not what he’d expected. “No. I told you it was a car accident on their way home from Galveston.”

  “You didn’t mention that you were supposed to fly them home, but you found something more exciting to do.”

  His throat seized up, making it hard to swallow. “Who told you this?”

  “Mona Blair.”

  Zach’s stomach plunged to his ankles. He should have anticipated this. Miss Mona liked nothing better than expressing her opinion in an effort to stir up trouble. How could he explain so Sophie would understand? “That’s not what happened.”

  “Then explain it to me.”

  The condemnation in her voice cut deep. He took her arm and steered her into the privacy of the small office. The hurt and anger in her eyes sliced his heart to pieces. How could he explain it to her when he couldn’t understand it fully himself? He turned away, running a hand through his hair. Might as well start at the beginning.

  “Maddie and Dean were anxious to spend some time together away from the kids. It had been a difficult winter business-wise and they were eager to find a little peace to regroup. I wanted to save them some money so I offered to fly them to Galveston and then fly them home again when the trip was over.”

  “You promised?”

  Too late he realized he’d chosen the wrong word. Her glacial tone reminded him of her strong opinion about breaking promises. Had he really promised? Or had he merely agreed? He’d promised. Only he hadn’t attached much significance to the word until Sophie had come into his life.

  “Yes. I did but—”

  “You broke your promise and they died.”

  Zach’s emotions sank. “No, that’s not what happened.”

  Sophie crossed her arms over her chest and glared. “So enlighten me.”

  He struggled to find the right words. The ones that came to mind were weak or flippant, as if he were making excuses. They made him sound like the victim. He took a deep breath, holding tight to the truth and hoping Sophie would understand. “I flew them to Galveston. They were going to call when they were ready to come home.”

  “Where were the children?”

  How like her to think of them first. “My
aunt and uncle were here with them. They lived in Blessing at the time.”

  “Go on.”

  She wasn’t going to make this easy for him.

  “I got a call from a buddy in Dallas who worked as a test pilot for a helicopter manufacturer. He was taking a new model up and he invited me along. It was a totally new approach to rotary flight with a fully—”

  Sophie held up her hand. She clearly didn’t care about the details. “So you found something more exciting to do and broke your promise.”

  “No. Well, yes, but that’s not how it came about. I didn’t just not show up. I called my brother and explained the situation. He agreed it was a rare opportunity and that I should go for it. He said they’d rent a car and drive home. He sounded happy about the change in plans. He said it would give them extra time together and prolong the vacation. So I went to Dallas.”

  “Leaving them to drive home and die on the way. If you’d kept your promise, they would both still be here.”

  The pain and anguish in her voice knotted his stomach. “It was an accident.”

  “That could have been prevented if you’d followed through on your obligation.”

  “I know that.” He hadn’t meant to raise his voice, but she was prodding his already guilty conscience. “I should have gone to Galveston. But I didn’t.”

  “And now those children are orphans. All alone because you had something more fun to do.”

  “They aren’t orphans. They have me and I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Because you feel guilty.”

  “No. Because I love them.”

  Sophie shook her head. “This makes me wonder what your real motivation is toward the children. Are you here to ease your conscience, hoping to earn forgiveness or are you here out of devotion?”

  “I’m here because they’re my family. The only family I have. Do I feel guilty for not following through on the flight home? Yes. There’s no amount of atonement that will change that or bring back Maddie and Dean.”

  Sophie looked away. “I thought I knew you. I thought you were sincere in caring for the children, that you were the best guardian for them. Now I’m not so sure.”

  Zach’s blood iced. “What does that mean?”

  She wiped her eyes, then turned away. “I don’t know.”

  She walked out, leaving a black cloud descending over his heart and mind. He linked his fingers behind his neck, struggling to find some steady ground.

  “Lord, I could use some help here. I don’t know how to fix this.”

  His worst fears had come true. He knew with a sickening certainty that Sophie would try to gain custody now. She’d use his selfish mistake against him and he had no idea how to fight that. But he would.

  No one would take his kids away. No one.

  * * *

  Sophie left the store and drove home, struggling to hold it together. Safe in her room, she gave in to the tears. How could Zach do such a thing? She’d questioned his suitability as guardian from the first, but spending time with him at home and working on the closet, she’d discovered a different side to the man. She’d found him caring, patient and devoted to the children. It was obvious they adored him. But how would they feel if they knew he was partially to blame for their parent’s death?

  She wiped her eyes, her own conscience flaring up. Yes, he’d broken a promise. Yes, he should have followed through on his commitment, but she couldn’t actually blame him for the crash. He wasn’t driving the car. He’d explained the situation to his brother and been given the go-ahead with his plan.

  What she needed now was a fresh perspective. Her emotions were a whirlpool of confusion. She called Angela’s number, reaching for a tissue as she waited for her friend to answer.

  “Hi! I was just thinking about you. How are things going? Are you ready for the grand opening?”

  Sophie couldn’t stop the sniffling. “No. Things are awful and I don’t know what to do about it.” She filled her friend in on the situation between bouts of tears. “How can I ever trust him again? How can I entrust those children to someone who might run off whenever a thrill ride presents itself?”

  “How does Zach feel about what happened?”

  The questions jolted her from her funk and forced her to step back a little. She thought about the look in his eyes when he’d admitted he’d messed up. The pain and guilt in his dark eyes couldn’t be ignored. “He’s feeling guilty, I suppose.”

  “I should think so. What a horrible burden that must be to carry.”

  Sophie sighed, facing the fact that she hadn’t considered his side of things. Now that her anger and hurt were fading, she had to look at things more realistically. “Yes, but he broke a promise and he kept the truth from me.”

  “Which hurts you more?”

  “Both.”

  Angela made a murmur of understanding. “That’s what happens when someone we love disappoints us.”

  “What are you talking about? I’m not in love with Zach.”

  “You can keep telling yourself that or you can face the truth. I’ve known how you’ve felt since the first week you were in Blessing. Stop trying to put up barriers. Don’t be afraid to love again. Greg was a jerk. But Zach isn’t like him. He’s one of the good ones, but no one is perfect.”

  Sophie drew her feet up into the chair. “I know that but I don’t think I could be involved with someone who breaks his promises.”

  Angela sighed loudly. “I think you need to take a serious look at your priorities, Soph. I understand why you feel as you do but it’s unrealistic. No one intends to break promises but it happens. The Lord’s promise is the only one you can count on.”

  Later, curled up in bed, Sophie tried to deny what Angela had observed, but it was no use. She’d even tried to avoid thinking about it by reading her sister’s Bible. Unfortunately, the passage that was underlined was the one in Corinthians that listed all the things that love was and wasn’t.

  She could no longer deny her feelings. She’d been drawn to Zach from the minute he’d opened the door that first day, despite his dark scowl. There was no denying he was attractive. Dangerously so. She’d tried to ignore the way her heart would flutter when he was near or the silly smile that wanted to erupt whenever she saw him.

  They’d developed a comfortable relationship over the time she’d been here. Working at the store, sharing evening meals and spending time with the children. Their time together, the special family moments, inside jokes and amusing comments had bonded them, and she knew a sense of belonging she hadn’t known since she and Maddie were young.

  So where did that leave her? Stuck between anger and caring. Angela had pointed out that Zach was a good guy. While he might feel guilty, he wasn’t responsible for the accident. Dean had been driving the car.

  But Angela was wrong about one thing. Breaking a promise was something Sophie could not forgive. Ever. It was a standard she had to hold to. To excuse it now because she was attracted to Zach would go against her deepest convictions.

  Besides, it didn’t change the fact that Zach had kept the truth from her. What else was he hiding? How was she supposed to have confidence in his role as guardian when he wasn’t totally honest? She might be able to pull back on her assessment of Zach as a parent to their nieces and nephew, but how did she retract her feelings for him? How did she wipe that away and how could she care for someone who broke his promises?

  Angela was right about one thing. Sophie’s heart had opened for Zach and she feared there was no way she could close that door again.

  * * *

  Zach slouched in the patio chair on Hank’s large deck the next evening, staring at the lake beyond. The scenic view of the water usually lulled him into a peaceful state quickly. Not today. Even the stunning multicolored sunset splashed across the sky held no wonder for him. His thoughts were consumed with Sophie and
her harsh words.

  “Here.”

  Hank handed him a tall glass of sweet tea. His wife, Paula, made the best in town but Zach barely tasted it now. He held the glass, staring into the contents.

  Hank took a seat in the chair beside him and waited. It was one of the things Zach liked about Hank. He never pushed. But he wouldn’t remain silent forever. Zach rubbed his forehead. He dreaded talking about the accident. He avoided thinking about it as much as possible. But he couldn’t do that any longer. Sophie had called him out.

  “Sophie found out about me not flying Dean and Maddie home from Galveston.”

  Hank leaned farther back in his chair. “I see my mother’s fine hand in this.”

  “I don’t know how she found out but she’s furious. I’m not sure she’ll ever talk to me again, let alone trust me.”

  “It wasn’t your fault.”

  “Maybe not literally, but if I’d followed through maybe—”

  “It could have ended the same way. The fault lay with the weather and the truck driver. You’ve got to stop carrying this guilt around, pal. No one is blaming you for the accident.”

  “What do I do about Sophie?”

  “What do you want to do?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Does it matter what she thinks?”

  “Of course it matters.”

  “Why?”

  Zach had no ready answer. Why did he care? What did it matter? She would be leaving soon. End of problem. He squirmed in his seat. When had he started lying to himself? “Because she’s the kids’ aunt. She’s family.”

  “Is that the only reason?”

  “Of course. What else could it be?”

  “How do you really feel about the lovely Sophie?”

  Zach stood up and walked to the edge of the deck. Why did Hank always call her the lovely Sophie? “I don’t have any feelings. I mean, I like her, we’re friends. We both want the best for the kids.”