“What is going on here?” she demanded irritably, reaching up to massage the tense muscles in her neck.
“I wanna play, and Zack won’t let me,” Billy whined, shaking the beds harder.
“Mom said we could each have one special toy,” Zack explained, with a long suffering sigh. “These are mine.”
“But you have lots, Zack.”
“And you, young man, have lots of Legos. They’re your special toy,” Holly told him, walking over and removing him from his perch. Easier said than done. When in a temper, her little sweetheart was stronger than he looked. “You know the rules,” she reminded him, sitting him on the edge of his mattress. “Unless you’re invited to play, you find something else to do. You do not scream like you broke a bone. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Mama,” came the sullen response.
“You nearly scared me to death, Billy. You know the rules when we’re at the restaurant. I’m sorry we’re stuck here so late tonight. I know it’s boring, but there’s nothing I can do about that right now. Just another hour or so. And you can pass part of it in time out for the next ten minutes.”
With that she turned and stalked back to the kitchen, where she’d been preparing vegetables for the salad bar. Something Shirley would have been doing had she not had to rush her husband to the hospital. He had called to say he was experiencing chest pains, and Holly prayed that he was all right. Unfortunately that meant that she and the boys had needed to stay for the dinner rush, after an already too long shift. She sighed mightily as she snatched a huge purple onion from the never-ending pile of produce. While she sliced it she considered again Lyle’s offer to buy the restaurant from her.
The boys college funds were secure. She had a comfortable nest egg, owned her house and the restaurant outright. Profits from the sale would keep her comfortable for a good long while, if she budgeted carefully. Forever if she could get a job with the school system. That way she’d be off work when the boys were, thus solving her current problem, and avoiding the need for daycare.
Her eyes watered as she chopped another onion, denying she was crying when a waitress asked if she was okay. Holly simply didn’t cry. It was a luxury she’d given up the day she realized that all of the responsibility for her small family rested squarely on her shoulders. The day she realized that if she gave in to despair and helplessness, she’d never find her way out.
Instead she made herself strong. Stronger than her sorry excuse for an ex-husband had ever been. She’d raised two fine boys, taken a struggling business and made it prosper…and she’d done it alone.
She wiped her eyes with the back of her wrist and moved on to the pile of tomatoes, yet her eyes continued to water. Those were certainly some of the strongest onions she’d gotten hold of in a while.
Alone. She’d definitely been that. For a long time. Too long. She smiled a wobbly smile recalling her date with Sam on Friday night. What a gentleman he’d been, opening doors for her, and holding out her chair. More importantly, holding her hand as they strolled from The Gavel down to the Eaton Theater, where they watched a romantic comedy starring Sandra Bullock. Things Mike had done with her, too, until the ‘I do’s’ were over. Well more specifically, the wedding night.
He’d hidden his true nature so convincingly that it sent a chill down her spine just remembering. Was it a talent all men possessed? Or just men like Mike? And if it were just men like Mike, how did one go about telling the difference? Was Sam all that he appeared to be? Or was possible that under all that sweet, attentive charm, lurked a womanizer waiting for the right moment to show himself?
With a disgusted shake of her head, Holly dismissed the thought before it really even had a chance to form. Nobody was that good an actor. And she knew, deep down, that Sam genuinely cared for her boys, which was more than their father ever had. Except on the occasions when Mike wanted to show Zack off. He hadn’t stuck around long enough for an opportunity to show Billy off to arise.
But Sam seemed proud of them even when no one he knew was around. He was infinitely patient with them. She recalled the miniature golf outing last week. How he’d gently helped Billy line up his shots, and cheered both of them on, even though they were not particularly good golfers yet. Later he’d patiently watched Cars 2 with a boy on each side, while she curled up in the recliner across the room, smiling when he smiled at her, blushing when he’d winked once.
And even later, when they’d stood shyly at her front door, a little tongue tied and not sure how to say goodnight. Sam had solved it by thanking her, and tenderly stroking her cheek with the back of his fingers. And then he’d gone home. Leaving Holly to wonder whether she’d done something wrong and that’s why he hadn’t kissed her.
Until she realized that everything about Sam was old fashioned and proper. A gentleman didn’t kiss a woman on their first date. The thought melted her heart even as she longed to know what it would be like to be kissed by him.
“Mom?” A timid voice from the doorway put an end to her wondering. She turned to see a subdued Zack standing there. “Is ten minutes up yet?”
“Ten minutes?” she asked, confused.
“Can Billy play again?” Holly glanced at the clock above the counter. The ten minutes had been up more than ten minutes ago.
“Of course he may,” she said with a sigh, wiping her hands on her apron and walking with her oldest son to the office. “Billy, I’m sorry. I got distracted. You can play now…if you can behave yourself, okay?”
“I’ll be good, Mama.” He was as subdued as his brother was.
“I know you will.” She kissed both the boys and said, “I’m almost finished in the kitchen, and then we’ll go home.”
On her way back she heard Zack invite his brother to come up on the top bunk and they’d play Pokémon together. A smile curved her lips. No matter that they fought sometimes, as siblings tended to do, they were still great friends and looked out for one another. Too bad Mike hadn’t stayed around to see what terrific sons he’d fathered. On the other hand, if he hadn’t left them, Sam wouldn’t be coming over for pizza tomorrow night.
CHAPTER 4
“Do you have any....two’s?” Sam asked, raising his eyebrows at Billy. Billy laughed merrily and shook his head.
“Nope. Go fish.” He then turned to his mother and asked, “Do you have any five’s?”
“Yes, sir, I do.” She slid one card to him. “Zack. Do you have any queens?”
“Aw, Mom.” Holly grinned as she took his card and lay what remained in her hand on the table.
“Guess that means I won, huh?”
“No fair,” Billy complained good-naturedly. “You cheated.”
“Of course I did. Didn’t you see me pull those cards out of my sleeve?” Given that she was wearing a tank top, they knew she was teasing. “Okay, you two go and play while I order the pizza. Onions and pineapple, right?”
“Yuck!” Zack grimaced.
“Ham!” Billy shouted gleefully.
“Ham!” Sam echoed quickly.
“Ham?” Holly gasped, eyes wide as she slid her chair back and stood up. “That’s a boring pizza. How about anchovies and hot peppers?”
Choruses of, “No way!”, “Yucky!” and “Ham!” filled the air, and she chuckled on her way to the kitchen saying,
“You guys just have no imagination.”
“But we do have sensitive taste buds,” Sam pointed out, getting to his feet, too. “And we wouldn’t want to torture them, would we, boys?”
“No,” they both answered without hesitation, heading out the backdoor to play while they waited for the pizza to be delivered.
Sam cleared the table of the cards then set it with plates, napkins, and silverware while Holly waited on hold. She started to protest but he just grinned and went about his business, remembering from the first time where she kept everything.
“I could have done that,” she told him, replacing the receiver.
; “I know. But I like helping out.” As she walked back into the dining room, he reached for her hand and pulled her to stand in front of him, asking softly, “Do you suppose this could count as our second date?”
“Um- Technically this would be our fifth,” she answered, a tremble in her voice.
“Fifth?” He pulled her a little closer.
“The Fourth of July. Dinner the next day. Miniature golfing. Pizza last week. Dinner and a movie Friday. Oops. This would be the sixth one.”
“That’s a lot of dates,” he pointed out reasonably, cupping her cheeks. Her hair was so soft.
“It sure is.”
“Holly-”
“I guess the only way to hush you up is to-”
Holly reached up, pulled his face down and kissed him, then hid her face against his chest while he held her tight. He’d known that kissing her would be great. He just hadn’t expected to feel it clear down to his toes. He figured it must have affected her in much the same way because she was trembling in his arms.
“Wow,” he said, surprised to find his voice was shaking.
“Yeah.”
He knew then that they had a big problem. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that they shared the same views regarding sex before marriage. And that one brief kiss proved that waiting was going to be one of the most difficult things he’d ever done. He almost laughed at the thought. They hadn’t even discussed love and marriage, and here he was thinking about the wedding night. Talk about jumping the gun. He groaned when the phone rang.
“Gosh, you’d think I’ve ordered enough pizzas that they wouldn’t have to call back to make sure,” Holly muttered, stepping away from him and hurrying to answer it.
Sam wanted to wring the neck of the person on the other end of the line. That was the first time he’d held her, really held her, and he hadn’t been ready to let her go.
“Who is this?“ he heard Holly demand, then gasp, “Oh my- What’s happened? Is it Daddy? Has something happened to Daddy?”
That’s all it took to carry him to her side. Sam wrapped an arm around her and she clutched his free hand tightly, her face white.
“Oh thank God.” He was glad he was there because she’d have fallen to the floor had he not caught her when her knees gave out. “You scared me. What? I- You are? Yes, of course. Dinner? I think so. I- Yes. I’ll call if I can’t make it. The Holiday Inn on Saginaw? Yes, I know it. Yes. Yes, it was good to hear your voice, too.”
Sam assumed the call was over when her hand dropped to her side. He gently took the receiver and hung it up, then wrapped both of his arms around her. Whoever called had certainly upset her.
“Holly, are you okay?” he finally had to ask.
“What?” She looked up at him as though she’d forgotten he was there. “Sam.”
“Let’s go sit down.” He led her into the living room, sitting in the recliner and pulling her onto his lap. She cuddled against him, and he could feel her shaking like a leaf. “Who was that?”
“My mother.”
“Your mother?” While they hadn’t actually gotten around to discussing parents yet, he was a little confused. Why would her mother calling upset her this much? Then he remembered something she’d said. “Is your father all right?”
“Yes. He’s fine.”
“Holly, what’s wrong?” He felt helpless, not knowing what to do, but wanting desperately to make her feel better.
“My parent’s haven’t spoken to me since the day I married Mike.”
Sam inhaled sharply and held her closer. No wonder she was so freaked out. Zack was nine. So it must have been in the neighborhood of ten years. He couldn’t imagine being estranged from his parents at all, let alone for a decade.
“She’s going to be in Lansing tomorrow,” Holly whispered.
“To meet you for dinner?”
“If I can find a sitter.”
“That’s no problem. I can watch the boys for you,” he offered quickly. Whatever she needed. When she turned tear filled eyes up at him, he almost cried himself.
“I was hoping you’d come with me. I’m scared.” Her voice broke, and he buried his face against her hair.
“Oh, sweetheart, of course I’ll come with you.” He’d walk over coals for her.
“Thank you.”
“There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you, Holly” he whispered. She might not believe it yet, but he meant every word.
“Would you stay and talk. I mean after the boys are in bed?” she asked hesitantly.
“Yep,” he answered, using one of the boys’ favorite words. She laughed just a bit, and he knew she’d be all right. This meeting with her mother might not be easy but, however it turned out, Holly would be just fine.
“Hey, Mom, the pizza guy is here!” Billy shouted from the yard.
“Oh gosh. I need to wash my face,” Holly sighed, starting to pull out of his arms. Sam stopped her long enough to kiss her quickly and say,
“You look beautiful.”
~~~~~
Once Holly was sure the boys were asleep, she poured two cups of coffee and they sat at the table in the kitchen, silently, until she began her story.
She and Mike met while students at Michigan State University. He was a senior when she arrived, and he basically swept her off her feet. But he didn’t like the fact that she wouldn’t sleep with him. It went against everything she believed, and so he convinced her that he loved her, and talked her into marrying him. Her father had been livid, telling her that if she did something that stupid, he was washing his hands of her.
“I brought him home over Thanksgiving break, and I guess they were smarter than I was, because they saw something in him that I never noticed until after we were married.”
“They say wisdom comes with age,” he offered, not sure what else to say.
“Well they were sure right. And I was just as wrong.”
“About Mike?”
“That, too. No. I didn’t believe my father. I’m their only child, and I thought he’d get over his anger. Especially after Zack was born. But he never did. He forbid my mother to write or call. So tonight is the first time I’ve talked to her since the day we were married.” She laughed a little. “Valentine’s Day.”
Her hands were wrapped tightly around her cup, and she stared at the coffee as though it were the most fascinating thing she’d seen all day. Valentine’s Day. Her low life ex-husband had married her on the most romantic day of the year, and probably spoiled it for her forever.
“I wish I knew why she was coming,” Holly worried, glancing at Sam. “Do you think she was lying? About my father? Maybe he’s really sick and she didn’t want to tell me over the phone.”
“And maybe she just wants to see her daughter. And her grandsons. She does know about Billy, doesn’t she?”
“Oh yes. I’ve sent cards and pictures every Christmas. And on their birthdays and anniversaries. Unless she’s thrown them away without opening them. But I don‘t think she would. She was really upset over Daddy‘s decision.”
“He couldn’t make that kind of decision for her, could he?”
“Well, kind of. More or less anyway. You see Mom was always a June Cleaver kind of wife. They knew I was going to be the only child they would ever have so she stayed home and did the homemaker thing. I guess you could say that Daddy has always been the ruler of the roost, and I suppose she was afraid to defy him. She only had a high school education, and has never worked a day in her life.”
“Would he have hurt her?” Sam demanded, appalled at the thought, but he had to ask.
“Oh no, never. They just had an old-fashioned marriage. Very close to the kind I’d hoped to have.” She grinned sheepishly. “Except I’m not the kind of woman to sit back and let a man make all of my decisions for me. I always felt that taking care of me and our home gave her just as many rights as he had, even though he was the only one earning an income.”
“I agree. My mom stayed home, too,” Sam said, chuckling. “But if my father ever tried bossing her around, he wasn’t very successful. I don’t think he ever did though. His opinion is that being a wife and mother is one of the most important jobs there is. And he’s right.” He prayed she realized what he was saying. If, when, Holly married him, he wanted her to stay home and raise the boys. If that’s what she wanted. And maybe, if she were willing, they could have another baby. But even if she didn’t want more kids, he would be happy with her and the boys.
“Your dad sounds like a smart man.”
“I think so.”
“I don’t suppose he’d care to have a chat with mine?”
“Want me to ask him?”
“No. I was just teasing.” The look on her face, however, was utterly serious. “I don’t know what to say to her, Sam. If she isn’t bringing bad news, what will I say to her?”
“I don’t know, Holly. I really don’t.” He reached over and gently squeezed her shoulder. “But I know you and you’ll say the right thing.”
“Thank you, Sam. You’re very sweet. Did you know that?”
“Absolutely,” he said, puffing out his chest. “Why I look in the mirror every morning and say to myself, ‘Sam, my man, you are sweet.’ I‘m so sweet that I make sugar taste like cardboard.” He leaned closer and lowered his voice. “I‘m so sweet I don‘t dare go outside when it‘s raining because I‘d dissolve in a puddle at your feet. I‘m so sweet-”
“Stop it,” Holly ordered, trying to look stern but failing as she started to giggle. “You’re a nut.”
“Yeah, but I’m a sweet one,” he said with a grin.
~~~~~
She should have gone to work. No matter that it was her day off. It would have been easier to stay busy there. Which would have been a good thing, Holly decided, trying to figure out what else she might clean, or scrub, or organize. It was just after ten, and she’d already scoured the entire house. Easy to accomplish when one woke up at four. At this rate she’d be exhausted by the time Sam arrived to take her to Lansing.
A Hero For Holly Page 5
