Love Inspired April 2021--Box Set 1 of 2, page 44
Mrs. Temple shook her head. “No need. I don’t want them back. Feel free to donate them to the library or a local historical organization. We were told when we bought the home that one of its earlier owners, a Walter Merritt, was the editor of the local paper, the Dispatch.”
“It’s now called the Banner. I’ve run across that during my research. Merritt went on to own the paper, then his heirs sold out in the fifties and it became the Banner.” Melody extended her hand. “Thank you so much.”
“You are most welcome. I’ll let you know if we find anything else. There’s still an entire section of the attic that we haven’t opened up yet.”
“I’ll keep my fingers crossed.”
It was all Melody could do to keep from skipping back inside the annex. What a fantastic find. Real newspapers from the 1900s, not microfiche or copies on a jump drive. She couldn’t wait to dig into the contents of those boxes. It would be like opening an early Christmas gift.
* * *
Clay settled his son in the armchair and gently lifted his bandaged ankle onto the ottoman.
Eli winced. “It hurts.”
“I know. I’ll get your medication. That’ll take the edge off. Be glad it’s not broken.”
Eli looked up at him with a pleading gaze. “I’ll miss the tournament this weekend.”
“But you should be better for the next one in Biloxi. If you do everything the doctor tells you.”
“I know. I will.”
Clay stroked Eli’s hair, his heart bursting with gratitude that his son hadn’t sustained a more serious injury. “Are you hungry? I’ll fix you a sandwich.”
The quiet of the kitchen afforded Clay a moment to release his tension. What had started out as normal Little League baseball game had ended in a trip to the emergency room. He’d existed in a state of fear from the moment he realized Eli was hurt. His imagination had taken over, envisioning the worst possible outcomes.
Someone tapped on the back door, and he looked over his shoulder to find Melody looking through the glass. He motioned her in. She hurried toward him, clearly upset.
“Is his leg broken? How is he?”
Clay held up a hand. “It’s not broken. It’s only a bad ankle sprain. He’ll be good as new in a week or so. How did you hear about it?”
“Sandy called me. Her neighbor’s son plays on the team.” She took a deep breath and shrugged. “I guess the news got distorted along the way. May I see him?”
He had a moment of hesitation. Was her concern because she liked Eli or was it something deeper, a sense that Eli was more than just the landlord’s son? Finally, he relented.
“He’s in the living room.”
Clay fixed a peanut butter and banana sandwich and a drink for Eli and took it to him with his medications. Melody was seated beside him talking softly. She smiled as he entered.
“I’m so thankful it wasn’t more serious.”
“Me, too.”
She peered at the sandwich. “Is that a peanut butter and banana sandwich?”
Eli nodded. “My favorite.”
Melody’s face lit with a big smile. “Me, too. How about that. You, me and Elvis.”
“Who?”
“Oh, my. Now I feel old.”
Eli ate a few bites, then said he was tired. The medication was kicking in. Clay handed him the crutches and helped him down the hall to his room. When he returned, Melody was staring out the window. She turned when she heard him, and he saw tears in her eyes.
“Are you all right?”
She nodded. “I was so scared. I thought he’d broken his leg. The rumors were bad. I couldn’t stand the thought of him being hurt. What happened?”
His chest filled with pride. “When he slid into home plate, he got tangled up with the catcher and twisted his ankle.”
“Poor baby.”
Clay dragged his thumb across his eyebrow. Should he tell her now? She was obviously deeply affected by the injury. Would it ease her mind if she knew Eli was her son or only add more sorrow? No. Instead, he just muttered, “He’ll be fine.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
The truth was he did need help. He’d explore a few more options before he took that route, though. “No. Though I’m sure he would enjoy your company.”
She sighed. “He’ll be in good hands with you and your dad.”
“Dad isn’t here. He left yesterday for Ravenport, North Carolina. He’s meeting with their city officials about their bicentennial celebration last year. He won’t be home for a week to ten days.”
“Who will take care of Eli while you’re working?”
“I don’t know yet. The weather has finally cleared up and I’ll be in the air from dawn to dusk.”
“I’ll take care of him. He can stay with me while you’re working.”
“No.” He’d responded too quickly. He could see the hurt in her eyes. “You have work to do.”
“It’s only for a short while. He’s already started helping me after school. Plus, it’ll keep him occupied and off his feet while he recovers.”
“I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”
“Why not? I can get his assignments from school so he doesn’t fall behind in his studies. There’s only a few weeks left before school lets out. I can even take him to his doctor’s appointments. Then you’ll be free to concentrate on your work. You said you were behind. This would give you a chance to catch up.”
“I’ll think about it. Later.”
Clay was relieved when Melody finally left. Her offer made sense. It was a practical solution to his dilemma. Only it would place Eli totally under her care and risk his secret being exposed. Maybe he should deal with this now and face the consequences. He sighed. Again, no. It might be the right thing to do, but he wasn’t ready. He wasn’t sure he ever would be.
Like it or not, judgment day was right around the corner.
* * *
Melody walked into her workroom, smiling when she saw Eli working away at the desk. He’d proved to be a real blessing with the book project. He was eager, diligent and competent. At ten years of age, he wasn’t as easily distracted by the historical images as she was. Her curiosity always drew her off in other directions, wondering about the family and what happened to them down the years.
Her time with Eli was over tomorrow. His ankle was completely healed. She’d thoroughly enjoyed taking care of him this week. She’d been his tutor and his guardian. She’d gotten his assignments from his teachers and taken him to checkups with the doctor. It was almost like being his mother.
How she would have loved that. Coming to Blessing had been like opening a window to all she’d missed. Her younger self had traded away a life of love and happiness for a promise of success and notoriety. Things she’d once foolishly thought would bring her peace.
It had taken an explosion and a trip to Blessing to show her what really mattered. A sad smile lifted her lips as she watched Eli hard at work. He might not be her son, but for one lovely week she had pretended that he was.
Walking up behind him, Melody placed a hand on his shoulder. He glanced up and smiled.
“You’re a big help, Mr. Eli. I’m so glad your dad let you work with me.”
“Me, too. I’m going to be a photographer when I grow up. But I want to take pictures of nature. Like dogs and horses and wild animals.” He swiveled in the chair, his eyes bright. “Oh, and I think it would be cool to take pictures from the air, too. I could be a pilot like Dad, only I’d fly over the mountains and take pictures of things from up high.”
Melody’s heart swelled with pride. Her affection and admiration for Clay and his son grew every day.
“That’s a wonderful idea. In fact, I think some aerial shots of Blessing would be a good addition to the book. Not only an overview of the history on the ground, but a view from above of the whole town.” She leaned over and kissed Eli on the cheek. “You are a brilliant boy, Eli. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Eli blushed and lowered his head. “I wish you didn’t have to leave Blessing.”
“Me, too, but we can still stay in touch through email or Twitter, and we can FaceTime.”
“I know, but it’s not the same. I didn’t know my mom. I don’t even have a picture of her. Dad says there aren’t any.”
“I don’t have any pictures of my mom either.”
Eli looked at her with sad blue eyes. “Did she die when you were a baby?”
“No. I was about your age when she passed away, but I hadn’t seen her for years. She wasn’t a very good mother. She left me and my...me alone a lot. I was put in foster care when I was nine.”
“Does that mean you had lots of different families? My friend Toby is in foster care. Sometimes the other kids make fun of him.”
Melody nodded. “That happened to me, too, sometimes. And yes, I lived with many families, but eventually I ended up with a genuinely nice couple who treated me like one of their own. There were two of us who lived there. Miss Sandy, your Sunday school teacher, was the other one. We became like sisters. We’re still close. She helped me get this job.”
Eli stared at the desk a moment. “Dad won’t talk about my mom. Every time I ask questions, he says it’s not important.”
Melody’s heart warmed. Poor boy. “It’s important to you, though, isn’t it?”
Eli nodded.
Melody knew she was treading a fine line with this subject. She wanted to confront Clay and explain to him how important it was to tell his son about his mom.
She wished she had more information about her own mother. Why had she been an alcoholic? What had happened in her life to drive her to drink, and what demons had plagued her and made her leave her two children alone for hours, sometimes days on end? Knowing why might have helped her understand and maybe even figure out her own behavior.
She turned toward the door. “Would you like a snack? How about some popcorn?”
Eli nodded. “Can we have chocolate on it?”
Melody stopped and stared. “You like that, too? I love chocolate on my popcorn.”
Eli giggled. “Dad and Gramps think it’s weird.”
“I hear ya. My sister said I was dumb. She tried it once but hated it.”
“They don’t know what they’re missing.”
Melody held up her hand and Eli gave her a high five. “Let’s go make some popcorn.”
“Yeah! We don’t care what those people think. We love it.”
Melody wrapped her arm around Eli’s shoulder and they made their way to the kitchen. This had been the best day she’d had in a long time. Maybe the best ever.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The weather had held for the last week, allowing Clay and Jared to get caught up on their customers. They had a short break now before the next round of applications were scheduled. Clay knew he couldn’t have done it without Melody’s help. As much as he had worried about leaving his son in Melody’s care, the arrangement had worked out well. Eli had enjoyed his time with her and taking photos so much that he’d even requested a camera for his birthday.
He needed to do something to show Melody his appreciation. Lunch at an outdoor café along the river walk should be appropriate. Or should he do more? Buy her a gift? Give her a bonus? Neither idea felt right. A gift might send the wrong message, and a bonus would reduce her kindness in taking care of Eli to a job. He grinned as he imagined her reaction. She’d be furious, hurt and likely to give him a black eye. For all the changes he’d seen in her since coming to Blessing, her fierce determination hadn’t diminished in the slightest.
But lunch—he could do that. All he had to do was get up the courage to ask her. She wasn’t at the cottage, so he drove into town and checked her annex office. He found her huddled over the small desk between piles of papers. Her hands were supporting her chin, and she looked dejected.
“It can’t be all that bad, can it?” She glanced up, her eyes red and puffy as if she’d been crying. “What’s wrong?”
She wiped her eyes. “Nothing. Just a bout of self-pity. It’ll pass.”
He decided against asking her more. “Well, then I might have the perfect antidote. I’d like to treat you to lunch at the River View Café. A thank-you for your help with Eli while I’ve been working.”
She leaned back in her chair and smiled. “That sounds wonderful.”
Within minutes, they were seated at an outside table near the ornate cast-iron fence that separated the café patio from the sidewalk. Clay watched her as they waited for their order. She already looked more relaxed. The pinched line around her lips had softened, and her eyes had regained much of their usual sparkle. She exhaled a soft sigh and smiled at him, causing a small blip in his heartbeat.
“This was a wonderful idea. Thank you. I usually grab a sandwich at lunch and keep working.” Her gaze shifted to the grassy park on the other side of the river where residents were enjoying the outdoors. “The park is the perfect place for families to come and enjoy each other. Your dad did a wonderful thing here.”
It hit him that she probably had few, if any, memories of happy family times.
“It is a popular spot,” he agreed. “We could bring a picnic out here one weekend if you’d like.” Too late, he realized how she might interpret that invitation. “With Dad and Eli, of course.”
Her eyebrows lifted slightly. “Of course.”
Warmth crawled up his nerves. He might as well have stated he didn’t want to be with her. Thankfully, their food arrived, saving him from further embarrassment.
Melody kept the conversation light as they ate, sharing amusing stories of Eli during his stay with her. By the time dessert arrived, Clay was feeling encouraged. He wanted to ask her what had happened after she walked out ten years ago, but he didn’t want to risk getting into the truth. Nor did he want to give anything away.
Again, he searched for a way to begin but lost his courage. Especially sitting across the table from her. Maybe a stroll down the river walk would make things easier. She agreed with a warm smile that sent a jolt of awareness through him. Her smile had always left him weak in the knees. It was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen. It still was, only now the brilliance of her smile had a softer, muted patina. Its power, however, hadn’t diminished.
He gathered his courage and opened his mouth to speak, but Melody spoke first.
“I want to apologize for the way things ended between us.” She pulled a leaf from the shrub as they passed. “I shouldn’t have left without talking to you. I should have given you an answer at least.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“I panicked. I saw my plans falling apart, all my dreams melting away. I decided to run instead of staying and working things out.”
“Facing the music.”
“In a way.”
“What happened to you after you left?” He kept his gaze straight ahead, unwilling to see her expression.
“I went back home to my foster mom in Des Moines.”
“I looked for you. I thought you might go there but I didn’t know her name.” It had cost him a sizable sum to hire a detective to track her down.
“Yeah... I’ve realized that we didn’t learn much about each other during that time. We were too busy having fun. It was like a surprise birthday party every time we were together.”
“A party. I thought it was more than that.” He’d been so certain they’d been on the same wavelength about their feelings. His first mistake.
“I think we should have talked about more serious things.”
Clay set his jaw. “Like a future? Or maybe the news you gave me that night about our baby.” The words came out hard and accusing. He’d better adjust his tone or she’d be gone again.
Melody stiffened and looked downward. “I don’t want to talk about that.”
A trickle of relief washed through Clay. He wasn’t ready to deal with that either. He was surprised by the guilt that followed that admission, though.
They walked in silence for a while before he decided to try again. “I’ve often wondered how your plans worked out.”
“Not like they did in my dreams.”
“No international travel? No feature on the network?”
“I did a lot of traveling. London, Nuremburg, Dubai...”
“Sounds exciting. And what about those political situations you wanted to cover?”
She glanced at him. “It was exciting, but I never rose above a glorified assistant. The work was much different than I’d envisioned. I could never find the groove, so to speak. I was homesick.”
“For anyone in particular?”
“Mama Kay, Sandy.” She met his gaze. “You. I didn’t forget about you just because I left. Some things, some people, you never forget.”
Clay’s conscience nagged. He was being unfair. He knew more about her life than she realized. He should tell her the truth. She’d admitted she hadn’t forgotten about him. Maybe he was still looking at their situation through his long-held resentment. He reached out and took her hand. “I haven’t forgotten either.”
As they walked along the riverbank, Clay continued to struggle with mixed emotions. Her explanation left out so much that he wanted to know. Why was she so thin and frail? What had put the sadness in her smile and taken the light of life from her golden-brown eyes?
Melody stopped and faced him. “Can I ask you a question?”
“I suppose it’s your turn.”
“Your wife... You must have fallen in love quickly after we broke up.”
Clay’s mind seized up. He was trapped. He struggled to find an answer that would sound reasonable. “I—um. It was a whirlwind thing.”
“Like us?”
