Cheryl Wolverton - A Husband To Hold

Freckles stepped forward and slipped an arm through Julian’s arm drawing his attention. “Yes, you do,” she said to her sister. “And I appreciate all the help you give us out here, Sherri.”

Sherri glanced at her sister then Julian, and with a sigh, she walked off toward the area where the family cars were parked. “I’ll be in the car,” she muttered.

“It’s almost like being in the classroom,” Leah said half-jokingly when all the children were gone.

“Except they’re all different ages?” Julian quipped.

Leah chuckled. “Something like that.”

Mark touched Leah on her back between the shoulder blades and motioned toward the door. “Shall we?”

That gentle touch warmed her, reminding her of just why she was out here and whose invitation she had accepted. “If Freckles and Julian are ready,” Leah mouthed softly, glancing pointedly at the two who had their heads together talking low.

As if sensing the attention Freckles glanced around and then promptly blushed. “I’m sure dinner’s almost done. Let’s go eat.”

Julian chuckled low, a satisfied smile on his face. “You’ll have to forgive Freckles. She has her mind on other things.”

“Hawk!” Freckles warned, her cheeks turning a shade darker.

With interest Leah’s gaze went from one to the other. The byplay was something that she had long forgotten. It seemed like another lifetime, another person, when she and her husband had done such things. The small touches, wicked grins, secretive smiles. How would her husband have acted if he’d been alive and she hadn’t lost her child?

Leah warmed thinking about it, and at the same time felt a distinct emptiness within her at the hollowness those secret smiles caused.

“It’s your announcement. I won’t ruin it.”

“Announcement?” Mark asked.

“After dinner,” Freckles admonished and hurried toward the front door.

“Shall we go?” Julian asked and without waiting for an answer headed off after his wife.

Mark grinned. “I haven’t quite figured them out. It seems they are always like this. Involved, that is.”

A slight sorrow touching her heart, Leah replied, “It’s called love.”

Without another word she followed Julian and Freckles, leaving Mark to follow behind.

The screen door creaked as Julian pulled it open, causing Freckles to wrinkle her nose in disgust. “That has got to be oiled, Hawk.”

“I will, honey,” Julian replied.

Mark rolled his eyes.

Leah grinned.

“Mom, you know Leah. She hired Mark and is joining us for dinner tonight. And this is Rebecca,” Freckles said, “as you well know.”

Leah, of course, knew Phyllis, otherwise known as MaMaw. Short in size, her mainly dark-brown pageboy hair was gray with age, curled slightly under as it framed her face. She had a tired smile as if she’d seen many hard years, though her eyes shone with an inner peace. Leah knew immediately that inner glow bespoke of her relationship with Jesus Christ. They’d had talks before when Phyllis had stopped by the school for one thing or another.

Then there was Rebecca, Phyllis’s middle child. She was a precious child at her age of twelve. Severely handicapped, she was strapped into a wheelchair a lot of the time, but Leah had seen Rebecca make her way around the room, often in her own world as she laughed and played. She was a blessing to all of them, hard to manage occasionally but special in her own way.

“Hi, sweetheart,” Leah said squatting down in front of Rebecca now.

Rebecca gurgled and waved a hand, then bounced in her chair.

“I thought Jimmy said she was tired?” Leah asked.

“She’s on her last legs,” Mark replied. “She always has a spurt of energy as she tries to fight sleep.”

Surprised, Leah glanced around at Mark.

“He’s right,” Phyllis said and stood, leaning down to lift her daughter into her arms. “He’s been a big help with Rebecca here. And she just loves him, don’t you, sweetie,” Phyllis cooed to her daughter, smiling tiredly.

The little girl laughed and wrapped her arms around her mama’s neck. As awkward as it was, the child managed to hold on.

Mark grinned. “She’s my darlin’,” he replied.

“Sorry to run just as you get here, Leah, but I have to put her to bed. Maybe I’ll be down later.”

“That’s fine, Phyllis. We can talk then.”

“Say bye-bye,” she told her daughter as she started through the house. “Bye-bye,” she repeated, talking to her child with all the love a mother had for her baby—even if the baby was twelve years old.

“It was a blessing that she managed to come out here,” Mark said.

She turned her gaze to Mark. “Oh?”

He nodded. “You know she was working herself to exhaustion back East. They lived in a tiny apartment and were on constant watch for gangs and trouble. Rebecca has flourished since they’ve moved here. Even Phyllis is finally looking better, not so exhausted. Julian said Freckles was really worried about her mom.”

“I didn’t realize you spent much time with them,” Leah voiced quietly.

Slipping the toothpick from his mouth he dropped it in a nearby trash can. “I help around the house some. It’s the least I can do since Julian has given me some space to live. But don’t forget, Julian, being Zach’s brother, is indirectly related to me so I’m around them more than just out here.”

His grin melted Leah’s reserves, making her want to stand there and stare at him all night. He looked so mischievous grinning down at her as he leaned there against the doorjamb leading into the dining room. She couldn’t help but smile back. “You’re brothers-in-law,” she agreed.

“Dinner’s ready!”

Drawn out of the feelings that had kept the two of them isolated from the others in the area, Leah turned to see Cathi just finishing her chore of setting the dining room table.

“Oh, dear. I didn’t even offer to help.” Leah clasped her hands together, worry creasing her brow.

Mark reached out and caught her fingers. She jumped, almost pulling back before catching herself. Staring down to where he’d grabbed her hands, his darker ones covering her pale skin, she realized how long it’d been since a man had actually held her hands.

“No reason to be nervous,” he said mildly. “That’s a bad habit of yours, clasping your hands whenever you’re worried.”

She swallowed, reminding herself that Mark worked for Mitch—the sheriff. As handsome and attractive as Mark was, she had to get a grip on herself. She couldn’t let down her guard so easily. He shouldn’t have been able to notice her anxiety. Had she actually fallen so much out of practice since living here in Hill Creek?

Forcing herself to relax, she smiled up at Mark. “I’ll remember that.”

He cocked his head curiously.

She turned and headed toward the table, where Julian and Freckles were just coming through the swinging door that led to the kitchen. Both had their hands filled with old-fashioned stoneware dishes filled with steaming entrées. Relief touched her as she was finally able to divert her attention elsewhere. However, Leah couldn’t help wondering just what Mark might be thinking right now, as quiet as he was behind her.

Mark watched her, wondering if she’d felt anything at all when he’d touched her a moment ago. He hadn’t been thinking when he’d reached out. He’d simply acted, and immediately reacted, noting how soft her skin was, how nervous she was around him, how much he’d startled her.

The look in her eyes, the surprise and shock, made him think that people didn’t touch her often. She was certainly a mystery, this woman. The more he was around her the more mysterious she became.