Cheryl Wolverton - Home To You

Dakota shook his head. “I haven’t met her before, Mom. I would remember her.”

His mom lifted an eyebrow in a way only a mother can and he squirmed in response. “I meant that she’s a grown woman and in my line of work—”

“Maybe she wasn’t an adult when you met her. Tell me exactly what she said yesterday.”

Dakota felt time slipping away and knew he was going to be late. But, to solve this dilemma he needed to recount the story, find an answer and then see to helping this woman. Chandler’s would just have to wait.

Quickly and concisely, he related all she had said.

Slowly, his mom nodded. “Think back to your teenage years. You were always so generous. Is it possible you told someone they could move in with us and she could be your sister?”

Dakota shook his head, then paused. “I wouldn’t have told any girl she could be my sister, but…”

His mom cocked her head in sudden thought. “There was a little girl, a long time ago. You might not even remember her.” Carolyne paused and studied her son. “She was very special to you. She used to take your side whenever you and your sister would fight.”

Dakota’s eyes widened. The past came flooding back. Something in grade school he remembered. A playground and a little blond-haired girl. They had spit in each other’s hand. It was fuzzy, but he remembered some incident about her leaving and he didn’t want to lose her…“Molly, Marsha…”

“Meghan.”

“Meghan!” Dakota repeated after his mother and leaned forward, shaking his head in disbelief. He hadn’t thought of her in ages. “That’s impossible. It’s been so many years. I wouldn’t know her. She wouldn’t know me.”

“But you did used to call her your best friend.”

“She had blond hair, was skinny.” Dakota shook his head, unable to believe what his mom had suggested. “I don’t remember much except that she liked to make mud pies and we liked to swing on the swing set.”

It couldn’t be, he thought. What would she be doing back here? “Last I heard they moved to Fort Worth.” He paused and then mused aloud. “I always did wonder what happened to her.”

“The young woman is blond,” Dakota heard his mom say. “She called herself your best friend. True, she was inebriated at the time, but be that as it may, whether it is or is not Meghan, there is one thing you do know.”

“What’s that?” Dakota asked as more and more snatches of memories presented themselves about a young girl he’d once known.

“She came to you for help.”

Dakota snapped to attention as compassion flooded him. Contrite, he realized his mom had made her point without chiding him once.

He nodded. “Yes, she did.”

Guilty that he had been in such a hurry, he admitted how wise his mother was. Wisdom came with years and his mom was one of those who had helped guide him and direct him with sage words of advice. She didn’t correct him often, but when she did, she was usually right.

“Excuse me?”

Both mother and son turned at the timid sound.

Dakota had tarried too long, for their guest stood at the bottom of the stairs, dressed in her outfit of the day before and looking much the worse for wear.

He would have known she was there had she not said anything when the smell hit him.

Yet, his compassion only grew as he saw the fear, embarrassment and reserved look in the way she stood, arms crossed across her stomach as if holding herself against any onslaught they might make. Her gaze shifted to his mom and then back to him.

“I am really sorry but…” The woman’s voice came out hoarse and she winced, then lifted a hand to her head. Hangover headache, he thought.

“Mrs. Ryder?” she asked, though her gaze was on Dakota. Finally, it turned back to his mother.

His mom rose smoothly and crossed to her. “I am—Carolyne Ryder.”

The woman stumbled slightly and righted herself. Her cheeks grew a soft rosy pink though the embarrassment in her eyes reflected self-recrimination.

“I’m so sorry. I should go.” She tried to back away, the embarrassment growing. “I don’t know how I ended up here—”

“Nonsense.” His mother slipped an arm around her to keep her from exiting. She did not once blink over the powerful stench the woman exuded. His mother was full of grace and love—and she always had been.

As they started toward the table, Dakota noticed the woman dragged one leg just a bit and wobbled as she walked. He wondered if she’d hurt herself yesterday when she fell and made a note to call the doctor about it.

“Really,” the young woman continued even as his mother firmly led her to the table so she could sit down. “I didn’t mean to come here, that is—”

“Would you like some coffee? We’ve been trying to guess your identity.”

The woman’s cheeks turned even redder, the color leeching down into her neck.

Dakota couldn’t stay quiet any longer. “Meghan?” he asked, needing to know.

The woman stopped dead and then promptly burst into tears.

Aghast, Dakota looked at his mom, who met his gaze over the woman’s head.

What had he said?

“There, there,” his mother murmured and pulled the girl into her arms.

Dakota didn’t know what to do. He prayed a quiet prayer for guidance and allowed himself to slip into his pastoral mode, as he thought of it, caring but detached from the situation.

He observed as his mom held the woman and smoothed her ratty hair, praying quietly for God to comfort the woman and for guidance when she was finally able to talk.

Slowly the woman’s tears subsided.

His mom pushed a tissue into her hand and she wiped her eyes, smearing the leftovers of makeup even worse.

Cody didn’t mind.

All that was left in his heart now was concern and compassion. It didn’t matter how she smelled, how she looked, who she was.

The woman was full of pain and needed someone to talk with.

He saw her dart a glance at him before wiping at her nose and took that as a signal to intervene.

“You are welcome here, Meghan,” he said gently and waited.

Meghan shuddered and took a fresh tissue. She wiped at her eyes again and then, after taking a deep breath, she whispered, “I didn’t mean to show up here. I—oh dear.”

She glanced up at his mom and saw only compassion as Carolyne nodded to her. She straightened her shoulders and pushed away, becoming an isolated tower as she tried to pull dignity about her. “I don’t usually drink,” she confessed. “Until lately. I was so…inebriated that I guess I didn’t realize what I was doing. I thought it was a dream, really. I mean, I came back…”

She trailed off.

Cody steepled his fingers and leaned back, crossing his legs once again. “Why did you come back, Meghan?” he prompted gently when she didn’t continue.

She stiffened.

“It’s okay, Meghan…” Cody’s mother patted her leg, leaving her hand resting there in silent support.

Meghan’s eyes, the beautiful green that he could see today, focused on his mom and tension drained. Finally, she confessed, “I didn’t know where else to go.”

His mom’s eyes turned to and rested in his gaze.

Cody knew that look.

And he knew the signs from the woman in front of him. She was exhausted.

“I am so sorry—” Meghan began.

“Mom, is the electricity on in the garage apartment?” Cody cut in, ignoring the woman’s protest.

His mom smiled, approval in her eyes.

“I just have to flip the circuit breaker.”

“What?” Meghan looked from one to the other.

“You don’t have to say anything more, Meghan,” Cody told her. “We have a place you can stay.”

“Here?” She was genuinely surprised, though he saw sudden hope in her eyes.