A Rescued Heart (Rescued Heart Romance) (7 page)

“Okay.”

Matt seemed confident and self-assured in his actions as he tipped the man’s head back to open his airways and found the spot on his chest to begin compressions. His triceps bulged with the rhythmic movement, while her legs turned to jelly as she struggled to stand.

The woman’s face digressed to a distraught chalky white. Silent tears plowed their way down her face as she looked down at her husband.

“Hi. I’m Ava. Why don’t you come and sit with me?”

“Mary … I … my husband … was fine … and then
… ,” her quiet words trailed off to a stop. The shock transformed into a veil that slowly descended over her eyes. The woman fell into step with Ava. She encircled her arm around the woman and directed her to an adjacent table. Close enough that if Matt needed her she was near, but far enough the man’s chalky face didn’t come into view.

“Mary is it?” Ava crouched down in the front of the woman and took hold of her hands that trembled in her lap. “Your husband is in excellent hands and help is on its way.” The woman nodded, but stayed quiet, starring down at their gathered hands.

Ava looked back over her shoulder, catching a glimpse of Matt between the tables continuing CPR. Sweat beads had bubbled upon his forehead as he worked on the man. He stopped compressions for a moment to check the man’s pulse. His grim face showed his findings as he continued.

“Mary, what’s your husband’s name?”

“Dale … ,” she whispered so softly Ava could barely hear her.

“Dale looks like he’s a fighter.”

“Stubborn too.”

The woman still had spunk. The crowd stayed gathered around them as she heard a man giving updates to the dispatch. Trying to keep Mary’s mind off the crisis surrounding them, Ava continued to question her, asking for any insight that might help with Dale’s condition. Mary’s answers were short and sporadic, but she seemed to be gradually gaining strength and determination. Time seemed to stand still until finally the sound of approaching sirens squealed outside.

As the EMTs rushed in, Ava stole another glance at Matt as he stepped out of the way to let the men do their job. He lifted his arm and swiped it across his wet forehead. “I believe he has a pulse, but it is very weak.”

The medics nodded and immediately got to work on Dale. They had him strapped and in the ambulance in no time. Ava helped Mary outside, giving her a hug as she left for the hospital.

The ambulance pulled away, lights flashing, sirens noiseless. Ava took a deep breath, decompressing from the overwhelming overload of the last twenty minutes. She scanned the crowd in search of Matt and found him near the entrance of the coffeehouse watching her.

He looked unfazed, as if he hadn’t just saved a man’s life. Cocking his head to the side, he appeared to be assessing her. Probably making sure she wasn’t going to fall apart. Matt popped his head back as a silen
t
come her
e
.

Without even thinking she walked right into his open arms, her head resting on his firm chest as his arms encircled her. “You okay?” he asked as he spoke into her hair.

“Yeah.” She was fine, in his arms. How did everything in the world seem right and make sense as he held her? Could beginning a relationship with Matt not end with a crash and burn like it did with Tim? But the facts were still there. She had never suspected Tim would rip her heart out. Why wouldn’t Matt do the same thing? When reality caught up to her foolish impulse, she stiffened and stepped out of his embrace.

Matt took her cue and stepped back, crossing his arms to give her space. “You did great. You kept the wife calm and distracted like a pro.”

“Thanks, but you were the hero. You totally saved that guy.”

He rolled her compliment off his shoulder. “Let’s call it a group effort. Come on, let’s get you home.”

Matt offered to walk Ava to the door. She wanted to pat herself on the back. She had made it through a date. The years of doom and gloom lifted, slightly.

“Are we still on for date number two?”

“I thought I didn’t have a choice?” She laughed at his faux hurt expression. “Yes, I’d like a second date. However, are all your dates going to end with this much excitement?”

His laughter filled the hallway. “Well, I was expecting excitement, just not this kind.”

“Will the next one be a secret, too?”

“Of course. Are you free next Saturday afternoon? I have to work Saturday night.”

“You’re really going to keep me in suspense?”

“That’s right. I want you thinking about me all week.”

As if that would be a problem for her. He had already taken hold of her thoughts without the secrecy.

Ava sat at her desk after the kids had left for the day, twirling her pen between her fingers in a rhythmic motion while resting her head on the back of her chair, gazing out the window. The day shined
it’s beauty, not a cloud in the sky, and all she wanted to do was go home, pull out her lawn chair, a good book, and soak up the sun.

It was only Wednesday and she already suffered from emotional and mental exhaustion. The kids were having a bad week and pushing her patience. With extreme caution she let herself look forward to her date with Matt on Saturday, which only made the week drag on unbearably.

Tonight she had Bible study and was glad for the distraction. At least it wouldn’t be another night sitting at home alone. Usually it didn’t bother her to be alone, but in the last few weeks it depressed her. She had tried to fill her time with church activities, but they only served as scotch tape over an open wound of loneliness.

Two months ago she had joined the leadership team for the church’s support group for abused women and children. The group coordinator had asked her to participate because of her experience with children in hopes that Ava would be able to provide comfort for the kids who needed help in the community.

She would have normally never pursued this outreach for the mere fact that her lack of experience regarding this subject left her inadequate. But the few occasions that she might be able to help a frightened child cope with pain and fear made it worth it. Another meeting had been scheduled for this Friday and she had been preparing for her portion of the series they were discussing.

She planned on sharing with the women in attendance the effects felt by abused children. It was a disheartening topic and she wanted to praise them for being strong and taking their children out of a frightful situation. She had been working with the school therapist on what material she should present and was keyed up about the presentation.

Ava looked up at the clock and groaned. It showed a little before four o’clock and she needed to run a couple errands and eat before going to church. With confidence that she had prepared enough lessons for tomorrow, she cleaned off her desk and grabbed her purse and coat.

She closed the door behind her and headed toward the front doors to make her exit. Surprise quickened her steps when she found her student, Tessa, sitting on a bench just beyond the doors, legs swinging back and forth. She clutched her pink and purple backpack to her chest, wiping away tears that had stained her face.

Ava quickly approached and knelt beside her. “Tessa sweetie, what is wrong?” The little one should have left for home two hours ago.

“I … can’t … find … my … mom,” she said between hiccups.

Ava’s heart broke for her. This was the second time in a little over a week this had happened. She gently rubbed Tessa’s back, “She wasn’t at home when you got there?”

“No, and the doors were locked and I couldn’t get inside.” She took her arm and wiped the snot from her nose.

“Well, maybe she’s home now. Let’s go in and call her. I’m sure she’s worried about you.” Ava took the child’s hand and led her into the office. Everyone had gone home. The empty office gave them privacy. Ava sat at the secretary’s desk, found the phone number, and dialed. Her blood bubbled in her veins with each ring.

Tessa’s mother Kim answered just as the answering machine went off. She sounded drowsy and confused. Ava explained the situation as nice as she could. She didn’t want to place blame until she had all the facts. Kim sounded sorry about what had happened and asked that Ava send Tessa home. Ava hung up and knew she would do more than just send her home. She would deliver Tessa herself. Small group just got crossed off her list for tonight.

Ava reached down and stroked the girl’s hair. “Tessa, your mom is home.” She bent down, putting them at eye level. “You know what? It’s such a nice day outside. Would it be okay if I walked with you?”

Tessa’s face lit up and she jumped off the chair.
“Really? Then I could show you my favorite flower that I found.”

“Ooh, I love flowers.”

Ava kept the conversation light while they walked.
The distance
from her house and the school wasn’t a long distance, but for a kindergartener it must feel like a minimarathon. Especially when having to walk the round trip twice in one day. The walk was dotted with good landmarks to discuss. A park sat half the distance to her house that the city had fixed up early last summer. It had a large playground designed for elementary ages with a separate section for toddlers, plus sandboxes, picnic tables, basketball courts and a pavilion.

They talked about the trees, the birds, and a caterpillar they found inching its way across the sidewalk. They stopped and admired the purple tulip that had earlier caught Tessa’s attention. Ava loved how something so simple could please a child.

In a classroom setting, Tessa had a quiet temperament, but in this one on one situation with Ava, she blossomed. Ava purposely made their pace slow in hopes that Tessa would reveal something that would explain what was going on at home. It was crunch time to get some information out of her. She shifted the conversation.

“Tessa, do you like being at your house?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you and your mommy spend a lot of time together?” Guilt festered about questioning an innocent child, but she needed to get down to the bottom of why her mom had been dropping the ball lately. She held no peace regarding Tessa’s home life. Determination kept her on course to get some answers.

“We used to play a lot, but her boyfriend, Ray, lives with us now so she spends a lot of time with him.”

Ava didn’t know much about Tessa’s life, only that her dad had left without a word a few years back and never returned, leaving Kim, a young mom, to raise her alone. It was a sad situation, but up to this point, no reason existed to make her believe there were problems at home. Tessa hadn’t mentioned her mom’s boyfriend before, and that new admission caught Ava by surprise.

“Do you like him?”

“Yeah, he’s nice to me, but he makes my mommy cry a lot.”

“Oh, that’s too bad.”

“My mommy painted my room with pretty butterflies on the walls so when he is upset I can go to my room. She says it’s my special place.”

Ava’s stomach twisted. She hoped the situation wasn’t what she thought it was. They reached Tessa’s house, frustrated that their time together had run out. She knocked on the door and scoped out the run-down neighborhood. Tessa’s house was missing a few shutters and the siding looked worn.
The families who lived on the street had low incomes, but did the best they could with what they had.

Ava grew nervous as she knocked again. She and Kim were not close by any means, but they talked often at school functions and conferences. They were on a first name basis, which she didn’t have with most of the other parents. Still, she wondered if Kim would be happy to see her at the front door.

The blinds were closed and the house looked dark. Finally locks jingled and the door opened a crack. Ava couldn’t see Kim, but she heard her gasp.

“Miss Williams, I wasn’t expecting you.” Ava noted the switch in formality, but she couldn’t read whether Kim was upset or just taken back.

“Hi Kim, may I come in, please?”

“Um, sure, maybe just a few minutes.”

Ava took Tessa’s hand and led her into the house, mulling over in her head what her next words should be. Kim looked nervous and Ava didn’t want to push too hard. Kim shut the door and immediately Ava saw, even in the dim light that her arm lay in a sling and the side of her face held a line of bruises.

“Kim, are you okay? What happened?”

“Oh, um, last night I fell and bruised my arm and face. I went to the doctor this morning and they gave me some medicine for the pain. I must have fallen asleep and didn’t hear Tessa come home.”

She leaned down and hugged her daughter with her good arm and kissed her head. “I’m so sorry I didn’t hear you come home, baby. You must have been so scared. I made some cookies for you earlier today. Why don’t you go into the kitchen and have one? I think dessert before supper would be just fine today.”

Tessa skipped through the dining room into the kitchen, oblivious to the adults’ uncomfortable silence. Ava sensed that Kim wanted her to leave. It was now or never
.
Lord, give me the words
.

“I’m sorry about your arm and face, Kim. I hope they heal soon.”

“Thank you.”

“I brought Tessa home today because I hoped we would have a chance to talk. There have been too many instances in the last month where Tessa has been left alone and I’m just checking to see if everything is okay?”

Ava had debated during their walk to Tessa’s house if she should bring this issue to the attention of the principal or school counselor. She wanted to get more facts first, but this situation seemed to be quickly slipping away from her expertise. Tomorrow she would share the details that she had. She wanted to go by the books in case legal measures needed to be taken at some point.

“Everything is fine. There is no need to worry about Tessa.” Kim looked down at her watch and started biting her nails.

“I feel there is. I don’t mean to push, but I can tell Tessa is very concerned about you. She mentioned that you have a new boyfriend and that he is upsetting you.”

The statement took Kim by surprise and her eyes widened. She broke eye contact again by looking down toward the kitchen. Despite the sun outside, inside remained dark and dreary. A musty odor hung in the air.

“She
told you about Ray?” Her voice barely reached above a whisper.

“Yes. Is there anything you want to talk about? I know you don’t know me well, but I’m a pretty good listener.”

Kim’s eyes welled up with tears and she shook her head back and forth. She ran her trembling fingers through her short blond
e hair, lost in thought. A car drove by and she jumped. Ava hadn’t been in the church support group for very long, but she could see the signs of abuse etched in Kim’s frightened face.

With ease she touched Kim’s arm in the sling. “Did Ray do this to you, Kim?”

How would Kim respond to her blunt question? She guessed that Kim would lie, shut down, or kick her out. It would be a stretch for her to open up. There needed to be a foundation of trust before Kim would leak even the tiniest bit of truth. Ava took the first step and hoped she hadn’t pushed too far.

“I … um … can’t talk about this right now. I appreciate your concern, but I’m fine. Maybe sometime …”

Gravel crunched outside the dining room window. The vehicle that pulled into the driveway cut her words off and panic exploded in Kim’s eyes. “Tessa, baby,” she called toward the kitchen, “go upstairs and get ready for supper. Hurry, please.”

She turned back to Ava while Tessa darted up the stairs. “You need to go, Ava. Please.” She practically pushed Ava to the door.

“Okay, but please call me if you need anything …”

The back door opened and slammed shut. Kim jumped. “Kim, why didn’t you bring the garbage can in from the street and why isn’t dinner on the table? You’re about worthless!” A man’s voice yelled from the back of the house. It had to be Ray.

Ava wanted to run out the door because of the harshness of his voice. She couldn’t imagine how Kim felt with it being directed at her. Ray swore, followed by throwing something into the sink.

Kim cleared her throat. “Ray, we have a visitor.” Her voice quivered.

Ray strolled into the room with a smile pressed across his face. Ava expected to see the cutout mold the movies always portrayed of an abusive man.
Beer belly, white tank top, and gruff sneer. Instead the opposite approached her. An attractive man, clean cut, with the confident look of a charmer.

“Ray, this is Tessa’s teacher, Miss Williams.”

He walked up to her and shook her hand. His closeness made Ava’s muscles tense. She wanted to step back but didn’t want to make the uneasy situation more awkward than it already was.

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Miss Williams. I’ve heard wonderful things about you. Tessa adores you.”

“Thank you. She is a very sweet girl and a joy in my classroom.”

“Your visit is unexpected. Is everything okay at school with Tessa?”
His smile was deceptive but she was no fool.