A Home for Her Daughter

by Jill Weatherholt

  Getting the camp ready would make the weeks ahead difficult, but he needed to ensure Janie and Riley had a roof over their heads and money to live a comfortable life. The pain would be worth it. He turned the key to head home to his empty cabin. Alone.

  * * *

  “Mommy? Are you here?”

  Tuesday morning, Riley’s soft voice pulled Janie from a fitful night of rest. She jumped to her feet, then rushed to her daughter’s bedside. Her back hitched from the hard hospital chair. “Yes, sweetie, I’m here.” She brushed her hand across Riley’s forehead.

  “Where am I?” The young girl raised her bare arm and examined the IV. “Where’s Mr. Drew? I remember him carrying me.”

  Outside in the hallway the intercom paged a doctor to examination room four. “We’re at the hospital, baby. You got stung by a bee yesterday. Do you remember?”

  Janie watched as her daughter glanced at the spot where she’d been stung. “Yeah, it still hurts a little. How can something so tiny hurt so much?” Riley crinkled her brow. “Where’s Mr. Drew?”

  “He’ll be here to pick us up once the doctor says it’s okay for you to go home.” Janie found Riley’s fixation on Drew a bit concerning.

  “Why does the doctor have to tell me I can leave?”

  “You had an allergic reaction to the bee sting. Remember how you felt?”

  Riley nodded. “It felt like there was no air for me to breathe.”

  Janie’s stomach twisted. What she wouldn’t give to trade places with her little girl. “That feeling you had isn’t normal. Most people who get stung just have a little pain for a while.”

  “It definitely didn’t hurt a little. It hurt a lot.”

  “I know it did, sweetie. Why don’t you try to get a little more rest,” Janie suggested.

  “I’d rather sleep in my own bed. Can we go home now?”

  Janie was looking forward to a nap in her own bed, too, but it would be a while before Riley would be released. “Let’s wait for the doctor. He’s going to give you something in case you’re ever stung again, so you don’t have a reaction like you did.”

  “Oh, that pen thing?”

  “It’s called an EpiPen. How do you know about that?” Her daughter was growing up faster than she’d like.

  Riley pushed herself up a little. “Back in Maryland, my friend Suzanne had one. They’re kind of cool.”

  Janie had forgotten all about Suzanne and her severe peanut allergy. She was relieved to know Riley was okay with having to carry one with her. “I didn’t remember that.”

  “I watched her use it once when Teddy Forbes had shared some cookies with her. He didn’t know they had peanuts in them. It didn’t look hard.”

  “Well, let’s just pray you’ll never have to use the pen, but we need to wait for the doctor to demonstrate for us. In the meantime, do you want me to run down to the cafeteria and get us some breakfast?”

  Riley squirmed under the covers. “Yes, please. I’ll have toast with grape jelly and juice, too.”

  Janie walked over to her makeshift bed and grabbed her purse off the nearby table. “Why don’t you close your eyes for a while and get a little more rest.”

  “Okay, Mommy.”

  She waited and watched as Riley drifted off to sleep. Her eyelids fluttered. Janie headed out the door toward the cafeteria.

  “Janie!”

  Surprised, she spun around and spotted Drew. Her insides vibrated as he approached. He was dressed in relaxed jeans and a dark leather jacket that accentuated his muscular build. Next to him she felt like a load of clothes forgotten in the washing machine. She smoothed her hair, even though it wouldn’t do much good. What she needed was a shower.

  “Hey, how’s the munchkin doing?” His smile lit up his face.

  Janie had to admit, apart from seeing Riley this morning the sight of Drew had been the highlight of her time spent in the hospital.

  “She’s doing well. I asked her to try to rest while I get us some breakfast. Would you like to join me?”

  Drew rubbed his stomach. “I was hoping you’d ask. I skipped breakfast, so I’m famished.”

  They headed down the corridor. Nurses padded from room to room. Inside the cafeteria, the aroma of strong-brewed coffee filled the air.

  “That’s exactly what I need.”

  Drew turned to Janie. “What’s that?”

  “Gallons of strong coffee...black. I never realized how hard it is to sleep sitting up.” Janie rubbed the back of her neck.

  “Why don’t you grab a table and I’ll get your caffeine fix. We can discuss the repairs on the barn before we get our breakfast,” Drew suggested.

  Janie had planned on grabbing the food to go, but maybe it was best if she let Riley rest a little longer. “That sounds like a good idea.”

  Minutes later Drew approached the table with two steaming cups of brew. He set down the beverages and took a seat. “I wanted to give you an update. After we rushed to the hospital yesterday, Earl Moore and his crew came by with the cedar and started work on the barn.”

  Janie’s shoulders relaxed, and she was thrilled to hear they weren’t losing time due to Riley’s stay in the hospital. “That’s wonderful, Drew. How much do I owe them?”

  Drew shook his head. “Don’t worry about that now, in Whispering Slopes people do for one another—that’s the way it’s always been. They’ll get paid through the estate. Larry will take care of it.”

  Janie leaned back against the chair and admired the view outside. The arched, floor-to-ceiling window provided a breathtaking view of the mountains. “I almost forgot how beautiful it is here. I guess as kids we don’t appreciate it as much.” She took a slow sip of her brew. “I can see why you decided to become a ranger. Your office, so to speak, is so peaceful.”

  Drew turned his attention to the towering mountain range and exhaled. “The trails winding through the Blue Ridge saved my life.”

  Janie studied Drew’s pained expression. “How so?” Something had happened in his past—Molly had alluded to that—but she didn’t want to pry into his personal life. Still, she was curious as to why he’d leave his job working as a paramedic.

  Drew sat up a little straighter in his chair. His eyes held pain. “I’ve spent the past two years clawing my way through a valley of darkness I’d never wish on my worst enemy.” He paused as crinkle lines formed around his eyes. “When I couldn’t save my own family, I lost all confidence and hope to save others. That’s why I left my job as a paramedic.”

  Janie’s breath slowed, almost stopping. “You have a family?”

  Drew’s focus remained glued on his coffee cup as though the now-tepid brew held answers he’d been searching for. Then he lifted his head and brushed the moisture from his lashes. “No. I had a family, Janie.”

  Chapter Five

  Drew took a long pull on his bottle of water. He and Skip Keller, a paramedic and friend, had been hard at work on the roof of the barn since sunrise. Earl and his guys were assisting Mrs. Whipple with her deck expansion today, so Skip had insisted on helping Drew. Growing up, he’d also loved to attend the Applegates’ camp. Skip had been Drew’s closest friend and was there for him at the lowest point in his life.

  “It’s going to be a steamer.” Skip wiped the sweat from his brow.

  Visitors usually escaped to the mountains for a break from the heat and humidity, but on this Thursday morning there was no way to avoid it. “Yeah, the local weatherman said we’d be in the high eighties today. Thankfully, we should have a break by the end of the week,” Drew stated.

  Skip picked up his water and took a swig before glancing toward the sky. “Hopefully there won’t be any rain in the next couple of weeks, or you and Janie might not be able to open on time.”

  Drew prayed for the same. The weather played a big part in meeting their deadline, but he couldn�
��t control Mother Nature. He hadn’t voiced his concern to Janie. In fact, he’d seen little of her since Riley had been released from the hospital on Tuesday. The ride home had been awkward after Drew told Janie he’d had a family but left it at that. He didn’t want to go into the details of the accident and his failure to save his wife and daughter.

  Janie’s silence told him she’d gotten the hint. She’d never asked any more questions. She did send a text to let him know Riley was okay and anxious to help out with getting the camp ready. But Janie felt she needed to rest a few more days.

  In the meantime, she’d been busy working on obtaining the proper licensing and interviewing a few architects about expanding the activity building. Drew agreed the expansion was an excellent idea. The weather wouldn’t be perfect every day, so having a backup indoor facility to host games and other events was a good idea. The existing building had always been too small. Drew pulled his hammer from his tool belt and went back to work. The less time he spent thinking about Janie, the better.

  In between hammering, Skip paused. “Guess who I ran into in town? Janie.”

  Drew flinched. So much for keeping his mind off Janie. “Oh yeah?”

  Skip nodded. “It was the first time I’ve seen her since she got back into town. She looks great. Don’t you think?”

  Of course he did. In fact, she looked better than great. That was the problem. Janie was beautiful. She always had been. Even more of a reason to keep his mind off her and focused on the camp.

  “Drew? What do you think?”

  “Yeah—whatever.” Drew continued hammering with hopes of giving Skip a hint to nix the Janie talk.

  “What’s wrong?” Skip dropped the hammer to his side. “This isn’t about Lori, is it?”

  Skip was a great friend, but sometimes he didn’t know when to quit. Over the past several months, he’d tried to convince Drew it might be time to start dating again. He insisted it’s what Lori would have wanted, but the guilt saddling him for the past two years had been overwhelming. He couldn’t love another woman. Drew knew in his heart he didn’t deserve a second chance at love. “I don’t want to talk about Lori or Janie.”

  “Come on, man. I knew Lori pretty well. She wouldn’t have wanted you to live the rest of your life alone. You know that, don’t you? And you know she would want you to move forward with the plans you guys had made to open the outdoor center.”

  His mind was jumbled, and he didn’t know that for sure. One thing he knew was that the less time he spent alone with Janie, the better. The sooner they could get this camp up and running, the quicker he’d be able to go back into hiding. He wasn’t afraid to admit it, even if it was only to himself.

  Drew had tried to hide from the world since the accident, but Mrs. Applegate’s last wishes were forcing him to venture outside his comfort zone. Was the land really worth it? Taking possession of his share of the property wasn’t that important to him, but it wasn’t only about his share. He had to think of Janie and Riley. They needed a roof over their heads. The money from Mrs. Applegate could provide both of them with a secure future.

  “No, you’re right. Lori wouldn’t want me to be alone, but it’s what I want.” The nightmares had become more frequent and Drew knew part of the reason was obvious. Sweet little Riley. Through no fault of her own, she had turned his world upside down and brought his past back to haunt him.

  “Really, man? You want to stay holed up in that cabin all alone for the rest of your life?” Skip picked up a board and placed it on the table saw. “It’s bad enough you’re roaming the trails by yourself all day at your job.”

  Drew remained silent. He wasn’t going to argue with his friend. There was no way Skip could understand. As long as Drew continued to patrol his assigned territory there would be little opportunity to meet people. He’d be protecting his heart from any further pain. He didn’t deserve another chance at happiness. His family had died because of his irresponsibility. He never should have gotten behind the wheel of the family’s minivan. He’d worked a busy twenty-four-hour shift at the station with no sleep. Lori had pleaded with him, but in the end, he’d taken command of the wheel and in an instant, his life had changed forever. It was over.

  “I don’t know, Drew. I think Janie might be good for you.”

  Once upon a time that might have been true, but now, he wasn’t good for Janie. It was better for everyone if he lived his life alone. It was the only guarantee he wouldn’t fall in love again and risk heartache for a second time.

  * * *

  Friday morning, a glint of sun streamed through the blinds of Drew’s bedroom. Outside, the daily visit from the Red-headed Woodpecker sounded against the gutter. He yanked his pillow from underneath his head to shield his eyes. Thanks to Skip’s help yesterday, they’d finished the roof of the barn, but his nonstop chatter about Janie and Riley had resulted in a fitful night of sleep.

  Between the sun and the bird, sleep was out of the question. Strong black coffee was in order. Drew rousted himself out of bed.

  As he shuffled toward the kitchen, his phone sounded a weather alert. After turning on the coffee maker, he picked up the phone from the counter and took a seat at the kitchen table. A quick tap on the screen revealed a strong thunderstorm watch for later this afternoon. Weather-related delays—exactly what he didn’t want.

  Following a quick shower, Drew grabbed his keys and was headed out the door when his phone rang. Janie. The one person he wanted to keep out of his mind today, but he couldn’t avoid her forever if they were going to get the camp open by the Fourth of July, so he swiped the screen to accept the call.

  Ten minutes later, Drew cruised along the mountain road. With the windows of his truck open, the unusually humid air was present. Drew’s mind drifted to his earlier phone conversation with Janie. She and Riley were excited for him to come out to the farm today. Janie had met with the architect yesterday and seemed anxious to share the plans on the expansion of the activity building. Riley had been resting the past few days and had begged Janie nonstop to help out today, so she’d conceded. The plan was to meet up at the barn in a half an hour. Drew was anxious to show her what he and Skip had accomplished yesterday.

  He reached the end of the gravel road, parked and stepped out of his truck. He hesitated when he spotted Janie and Riley out in the field peppered with wildflowers, laughing as they chased Frankie. Observing the pair, for a second he imagined it was Lori and Heidi. Then a memory of the fiery crash snatched away the image.

  “Mr. Drew!” Riley called as she ran in his direction with her arms flailing. Janie trailed behind.

  Riley hugged Drew’s legs, causing his chest to tighten. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.” She looked up to him, squinting into the morning sun.

  It did seem like a lifetime since he’d seen Riley’s precious face. For a split second, his heart didn’t hurt quite as much. He looked down and cupped his hand under her chin. “I’m glad you’re feeling better, munchkin.”

  “Thanks to you—you saved my life.” Riley paused and turned to Janie who had joined them. “That’s what Mommy told me.”

  Drew passed a glance to Janie. She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and her face flushed. “Yes, thank you again, Drew.”

  “You would have done the same if I hadn’t been around.” He was anything but a hero.

  Janie stepped closer. “I’m not so sure. I’ve never been good in emergencies. I probably would have called nine-one-one and waited. We both know what could have happened if you hadn’t made the decision to rush Riley to the hospital yourself.” Janie gently placed her hand on Drew’s forearm. “You saved precious minutes that could have cost my daughter her life. I’ll never forget that, Drew.”

  As they headed toward the barn, Janie’s praise caused fear and doubt to go to war inside him. He couldn’t save his own family. What would she think about that? What i
f she found out he’d made the worst decision of his life by getting behind the wheel of the car when he’d been dog-tired? She’d think the same thing he did. He was a poor excuse for a husband, father and most of all, a protector.

  * * *

  Outside the barn, Janie watched Drew as he pointed toward the structure. His white-collared golf shirt accentuated his muscular shoulders. “Skip and I finished the roof yesterday.”

  “I can’t believe it’s fixed. That was a lot of work.” Janie looked up and shielded the sun from her eyes.

  “I told you, Mommy, Mr. Drew is like a superhero.” Riley scooped Frankie into her arms.

  “I can’t take all of the credit. Earl and his guys had accomplished a lot before Skip and I took over,” Drew added.

  Janie loved how the townspeople had come together to help her reach the goal of opening by the Fourth of July. She was thankful they’d be compensated thanks to Mrs. Applegate’s last wishes. The weeks were passing quickly—too quickly. “Well, thank you for taking charge and bringing your friends over to help. It really means a lot. Maybe I should have a cookout and invite everyone over.” She tugged on her jacket sleeve.

  “That’s not necessary, but it sounds nice. We’re glad to do it. Should we take a walk over to the activity building? I’m anxious to hear the architect’s ideas for expansion.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Janie responded.

  Drew turned to Janie. “Maybe you should put your jacket in the car. It’s going to be pretty warm today.”

  Janie’s shoulders tensed. She couldn’t let Drew see what was under her sleeves. Even Riley had never seen her arms bare. “Oh no, I’m fine.”

  “Mommy doesn’t like to get sun on her skin.”

  Janie appreciated her daughter’s effort to explain. But when Drew glanced toward her shorts that exposed her legs, she knew he wasn’t buying it. Winter was so much easier.