Three-Year Rule

by Alaina Stanford

Josh rose and opened the French doors that led to a small balcony. Elizabeth rose and blew out the candles, then went to stand beside him. They stood in the darkness, gazing out over the turbulent water of the lake as the storm moved closer. Tiny lights twinkled from across the water from the homes and docks on the other side of the lake.

  Elizabeth slipped her arm around Josh’s naked body and said, “Can I see photos of your children.”

  Josh gazed down at her and smiled. He reached out and touched her cheek gently with the tips of his fingers. He said, “I’ve got some photos in my wallet. I can show you in the morning.”

  She kissed him softly and asked, “What happened with their mother? Why did you separate?”

  Josh wrapped his arms around her and gazed out across the water. He spoke softly as if talking to the cool night air, “Joanne was wild. She, Randy and I grew up together, went to the same school since kindergarten. She was always the first one to try anything new and risky, even as a child. She was the first to jump off Bogart Bridge. Danger and risk excited her, and we followed in her wake. She was exciting; being with her was a rush. As a young man, I found that intoxicating. However, one-day things went too far, and Randy got hurt. We were running across the rim of the dam, and Randy slipped. He fell onto the spillway. The rolling water at the base of the spillway pulled him under. It seemed like it took forever to find him under the water, but I did. He was blue; his skin was cold and clammy. It shook me to my core. Luckily, Mary, Randy’s girlfriend at the time, wanted to be a nurse, so she knew CPR and revived him as I ran for help. After that, Randy and Mary kept their distance. Things just weren’t the same between us all.

  “The night I decided to break up with Joanne she told me she was pregnant. I made a mistake in thinking she would settle down and concentrate on the baby. So, I married her. She struggled for years to be a good mom, but it just wasn’t her. One day I came home from work, and she was gone. She’d dropped Jake off with Randy and disappeared. No note, no explanation, nothing. He was three years old.”

  He turned and gazed down at Elizabeth adding, “I was scared to death to be left alone with Jake, but Randy and Mary were there for me constantly. Mary was an RN by then, working at a local hospital and Randy was a deputy. Between the two of them, I was hardly ever alone the first few months. Eventually, I got into a rhythm with Jake. Then, about a year after she disappeared, Joanne showed up at my door one night with Molly in her arms. Thank God, Jake was asleep. She handed Molly to me and said, ‘She’s yours,’ nothing more. I was so surprised and pretty shook up, to be honest. I took Molly and watched her walk away. Then I closed the door and called Randy.” Josh laughed and said, “He and Mary were on my doorstep in less than an hour with diapers, formula, bottles, and a bunch of pink baby clothes. I don’t know what I would have done without them.”

  The wind grew stronger as the rain began to spread across the lake. Elizabeth smiled and took Josh’s hand to lead him back to the bed as she asked, “What happened to Joanne?”

  Josh lay down on the bed and took Elizabeth in his arms. He said, “She grew up a bit over the next couple of years and began to drop by to see the kids. Finally, she asked to have them overnight. Now she takes them for 6 weeks in the summer and half of Christmas and Spring break. The rest of the time they are with me.”

  “And Mary?”

  Josh sighed and said, “Mary was diagnosed with Leukemia. They did everything they could to fight it. Randy took her to the best doctors. She had a bone marrow transplant they were sure would end it, but it didn’t work. She was gone in less than a year. It took a toll on all of us. She was like a mother to my kids. She was Randy’s whole life. Mary was beautiful, kind and selfless. The kids and I lost both of them the day she died. Randy went into seclusion, and then threw himself into his work. I kept close tabs on him and kept dropping in when I could. I think it was hard for him to see the kids. They reminded him of the life he felt he was never going to have. Finally, he came out of it, and things got back to almost normal. He hasn’t dated much in the last few years. So it’s great to see how attached he’s become to Amy.”

  Elizabeth snuggled up against him and ran her fingers through the thick blonde hair on his chest. She said, “Amy adores him. She’s had a hard life, but you’d never know it by her attitude.”

  “What about you?” Josh asked, “You’ve never talked about your life or friends. I really don’t know anything about your past.”

  Elizabeth nuzzled his neck and said, “My life is pretty boring. I grew up in a small Missouri town. I did the usual little girl things: dance lessons, piano lessons, played softball, and sang in the school choir. My parents were older and a bit judgmental. I had to be perfect at everything I did, or they were greatly disappointed. They had high expectations and little patience. My parents were both attorneys, so they were always working. I got involved in every activity our small town offered, except in the summer. I looked forward to the 2 weeks every summer on my Uncle's farm. He was nearly ten years younger than my dad and more laid back. He and Aunt Mae accepted me as I was and never lectured me. He taught me how to milk a cow, gather eggs, ride a horse and how to fish. We went camping and hiking. Uncle Wendell and Aunt Mae never had any kids, so they devoted all their time to me while I was there. They were big into their church and, as a result, we were always helping neighbors and dropping off food, clothing, and even school supplies to families in the area. Aunt Mae taught me about Jesus and how to forgive. I loved it there. My parents thought my aunt and uncle were wasting their lives struggling to keep their little farm going, but it was my favorite place in the world. I used to pretend they were my parents.” Elizabeth laughed, “One day I told my third-grade teacher the reason I didn’t get my homework done the night before was because I was secretly communicating with my real parents Wendell and Mae that night. My parents were furious when the teacher called them. I was grounded for a month.”

  Josh grinned, “I’m surprised we didn’t run into each other at some point.”

  Elizabeth added, “I was a very shy child, and I stayed on the farm the entire time. We did go to the Fourth of July fireworks, but I was too shy to go play with the other children. Then when I reached High School, my parents wouldn’t let me come any more. I had a part-time job, and they wouldn’t let me leave it. They said that was irresponsible. My Aunt died of a heart attack a few years later. Uncle Wendell was devastated. His health went downhill after that. He kept the farm up, but his heart just wasn’t in it anymore. I couldn’t stand to see him so unhappy. Then the fire…” her voice cracked with the words.

  Josh kissed her forehead and asked, “He left the farm to you?”

  “Yes,” She whispered, “But my father was the executor of his Will and sold off all the livestock before my Uncle was even in the ground. He said it was the best thing for the animals. I was in college, so dad insisted on demolishing what was left of the house and barn. There’s nothing left up there now except an old abandoned stable.”

  Josh leaned back listening to the sound of the rain as it began to pound against the roof and asked, “So why now? Why move here after all these years? What changed?”

  “I changed,” Elizabeth answered. “I finally realized I'll never be able to please my parents. No matter how successful I am, it won’t be good enough. More importantly, I realized I don’t have to please them. I only have to please me. If I am satisfied with my life, then it doesn’t matter if they approve. I wish things were different, but I am glad I chose to come here. It certainly has been an adventure, and I’m not even in the house yet.”

  Josh laughed and rolled over on top of her. He whispered softly and nipped at her ear with his teeth, “I’m glad you came here too.”

  A piercing scream broke the darkness. Kilo’s sharp bark of warning followed instantly. Josh bolted from the bed. He threw on his pants, and he tore open the bedroom door. Elizabeth grabbed Josh’s shirt and ran after him. They raced down the stairs and reached the landing as the fron
t door exploded in a mass of wood splinters, as Randy crashed through the door. Josh and Elizabeth spun to follow Randy as he raced past them into the kitchen.

  Amy lay sprawled out on the floor in front of the stove. The back door was standing wide open. Amy sat up as Randy reached her. She was still clutching the knife in her hand. Josh ran through the back door and out onto the deck. He glanced quickly around but saw nothing.

  Amy stammered as Randy pulled her to her feet, “There was a man! I turned around, and he was just standing there by the basement door! Kilo chased him out the back!”

  “Are you all right?” Randy gasped out of breath. He was dripping wet, yet didn’t feel the cold. He looked Amy over; her face was extremely pale.

  “I’m fine!” Amy hugged him fiercely and added, “I was so startled; I jumped back and ended up on the floor. Thank goodness for Kilo.” Amy gasped and spun toward the living room.

  They all followed her stare to Charlie’s bed. It was empty. Without a word, Elizabeth disappeared through the back door and ran across the deck toward the stairs. Josh was on her heels by the time she reached the stairs.

  “Charlie!” Elizabeth screamed her name into the darkness.

  Josh came to her side and took hold of her elbow. “Charlie’s too weak to go far. We will find her. Kilo’s probably with her right now.”

  Barking came from deeper into the woods at the side of the house. Elizabeth and Josh ran down the narrow path that led to a walking trail. The rain continued to pour down. The wind came in strong gusts. It howled through the trees mocking the black, starless sky above. The combined movement of the trees and loss of the moonlight slowed their pace to a fast walk. Josh took the lead taking hold of Elizabeth’s hand and pulling her along behind him. Suddenly the barking shifted to their left. Kilo bounded out of the brush before them, quickly followed by Charlie. Both dogs were soaking wet; Charlie was seemingly unaffected by the sudden dash into the woods.

  Elizabeth and Josh knelt to check Charlie’s sutures; thankfully, they were intact. Josh greeted Kilo with a rough scratch and rose to stare into the woods. “Good boy,” Josh said softly then turned to Elizabeth and added, “Let’s get them back to the house.”

  They met Randy half way back down the path. He nodded at them and said, “The house is clear. Amy’s inside with the doors locked. Did you see anything?”

  Josh said, “I caught a glimpse of some headlights. It could be the house next door. We should check it out.”

  Randy turned and glanced back toward the house. “We will, but not until morning. Whoever it is has gone. Kilo saw to that. Let’s get back to the house.”

  Josh motioned to the house and ordered Kilo, “Go!” Kilo took off running down the trail back to the house. Charlie followed, much to Elizabeth’s surprise.

  Josh smiled at her and said, “I think we underestimated your sweet little golden.”

  Chapter Seven