Family for Keeps & Sadie's Hero (12 page)

After setting up the chairs for the play, Mac searched the reception hall for Tess. When he didn’t find her, he checked the kitchen, then went back into the hall.

“I saw her go into the sanctuary.” Casey came up to Mac.

“Her?”

“Don’t try to pretend you don’t know who I’m talking about. I saw you looking for Tess. When she isn’t with you, you’re always searching for her in the crowd.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re falling hard for her.” Casey lifted her chin a notch as though to challenge her brother to deny what she said.

“Tess and I are friends. We—”

His sister placed her hands on her hips and shot him a disgruntled look. “Mac, quit fooling yourself. You’ve never done that before, so why start now.”

“I’m trying to help her.”

“Oh, good grief, Mac, get real. You are interested in Tess Morgan, and it goes way beyond friendship.”

“You said she went into the sanctuary?” Mac asked, deciding to ignore his little sister’s observation. She was only nineteen and had a lot to learn about the world.

“Yes.”

Mac headed for the church but paused at the double doors. Why had Tess gone inside? To speak with God? Should he disturb her? He looked around the quiet foyer, trying to decide what he should do. One of the doors opened. He stepped back.

Tess emerged from the sanctuary, a calm serenity touching her beautiful features as though the Lord had touched her. Her eyes glowed with an inner light when she peered at him. The smile that graced her lips melted his irritation at his sister.

“The most wonderful thing happened to me.” Tess grasped his hands. “I talked with the Lord and He heard me.” Tears welled up in her eyes and flowed down her cheeks. “Oh, Mac, you were so right. I should never have turned away from God when Kevin died. I should have turned to Him.”

Mac took her into his arms and held her close to his heart. The pressure in his chest constricted his breathing. A lump lodged in his throat, and he had to swallow several times before he could speak. “I’m so glad you realize the Lord hasn’t abandoned you.”

She leaned back, her arms loosely about him. “But I abandoned the Lord.”

“Remember the story of the shepherd leaving his flock to look for the lost sheep? He has found you and taken you back into the flock.”

Through the shimmer of tears Tess regarded Mac, the tenderness she saw deep in his eyes. Emotions bombarded her from all sides, leaving her feeling drained but content. If it hadn’t been for this man, she might never have found her way back to the Lord. She owed Mac a lot. Certainly her loyalty and friendship, but could she give him her love?

He held her face in his large hands. “You’re special to the Lord and you’re special to—”

“Mac, Tess, the play is about to start.”

Tess shifted quickly away from Mac and turned toward Johnny, who rushed toward them. “Are you ready?”

“Yep, I’ve got my lines memorized. I’ve been helping Amy with hers.”

“Do you need any help getting your costume on?”

“No, Casey’s helping Amy then she’s gonna help me.” Johnny grabbed Tess’s hand. “Come on. I want you two sitting in the front row. I had Mrs. MacPherson save you places.”

“Okay, we’re coming, buddy.”

After Tess sat between Alice and Mac, she glanced down the row of chairs and saw all the MacPhersons. Tess felt honored to be included in the family event. All the children were in the play, with Johnny portraying Noah and Amy the white dove that found land.

“I wish we could open up the skylight and let the rain in. Then we would really have an authentic backdrop for the play,” Alice whispered as the youth director came on stage to quiet the audience.

Mac leaned around Tess and replied, “I think we should just have it out in the parking lot.”

A streak of lightning crackled the air followed by a loud boom that rocked the room. “I think I prefer staying indoors,” Tess said, staring at the storm raging outside the window.

Amy shot out from behind the curtain on the stage and rushed to Mac, throwing herself into his lap and burying her face against his shirt. “Daddy, I don’t like this,” the little girl mumbled against him.

Another flash of light lit the darkened room, immediately accompanied by the sound of thunder. “Sweetheart, that’s just the Lord shouting His joy to the world. If it didn’t rain, life on Earth would cease to be.”

“But, Daddy, it’s so loud.” She clapped her hands over her ears as thunder reverberated through the hall again.

“That’s so everyone will be able to hear even from far away,” Mac said when Amy cautiously uncovered her ears, her eyes round as saucers.

“It’s just the Lord?”

“Yes, pumpkin. The sound won’t hurt you.”

She sat for a moment longer, her head cocked as she listened to the thunder rumble again. “You’re right, Daddy. It doesn’t hurt.”

Mac hugged Amy. “You’d better get back behind stage. You’re the most important part of this play.”

Amy puffed out her chest. “I’m the one who finds land.” She hopped from his lap and raced for the stage.

Tess touched Mac’s hand. “I’ve always hated storms, too. Now I’ll never think of them any other way than God’s celebration of life.”

“He does in many ways, small and large. It’s all around us, Tess. The birth of a child. A new day.”

“The miracle of love. A parent and child’s love is a wonderful testament to the Lord.”

The rest of the world faded from Mac’s view. All his senses centered on the feel of her hand over his, of her scent of lilacs, of her beautiful features radiating with her renewed faith in the Lord. “Not just a love between a parent and child. There are all kinds of love. Each important in God’s plan. Jesus’s message to us was based on God’s love for us.”

Tears made her eyes glisten. “I’m just now rediscovering that.”

So am I, Mac thought, sandwiching her hand between his. Was he brave enough to pursue this to the end? To discover what God had in mind for him and Tess?

“D
on’t be ridiculous. I don’t mind taking you home.” Tess braked at a stoplight and sent Casey a reassuring look.

“My car didn’t start this morning.”

“Cars, like computers, are wonderful until they don’t work.” Tess came to a stop at another light, scanning the intersection, the billboard—

In big, red letters, a message was written for all the world, or at least the people of Denver, to see. Tess, Will You Go With Me To The Circus Tonight? Yours, Mac. Her cheeks flamed the color of the letters.

“Your car isn’t broken, is it?” Tess asked, aware the driver behind her was honking at her because the light was green and she hadn’t moved. She pressed her foot on the accelerator, gunning through the intersection.

“I never said it was broken. I said it didn’t start this morning. That’s because I didn’t try to start it. Mac brought me to work so I could get a ride home with you.”

Tess’s face still felt hot. “Why didn’t he just call me up and ask me himself?”

Casey shrugged. “Not sure. You can ask him yourself. He’s right there.”

Tess pulled into Alice’s driveway and saw the man in question leaning against his car with his arms folded over his chest and a pleased grin on his face. “I think I’ll do just that.”

When she approached him, the twinkle in his eyes erased any embarrassment she might have felt. After all, she wasn’t the only one in Denver who went by the name of Tess, and surely there were lots of Macs who lived in the city. “I could be busy.”

“Are you?” He lifted one brow.

“I should be, since you waited until the last minute to ask.”

“I checked with Casey, and she said you weren’t.”

Tess frowned, remembering Casey drilling her yesterday about her plans for the week, including this evening.

“I wanted to surprise you. Do something different that you wouldn’t expect.”

“You got me there. I didn’t expect the billboard or the circus.”

“Amy and Johnny are coming, too. How about it?”

“You know I won’t say no when you mention them,” she said in an accusing voice that didn’t sound very strong.

“A guy will use any means to get a gal to go out with him.”

“You’re that desperate?”

“You bet, where you’re concerned. You’ve turned me down in the past.”

“Not for a long time.”

“In football I learned to anticipate every move of my opponent.”

“Now I’m an opponent. That doesn’t bode well for the date.”

He chuckled. “I think this date will go just fine. You can call it research.”

“Research? For what?”

“For your clown therapy, what else? There are gonna be a lot of clowns at the circus.”

“Oh, so this was purely for my benefit?”

His easy laughter filled the air. “Hardly. Definitely it’s for my benefit—and the children’s, of course.”

“You certainly know how to hit below the belt. You know how much I love being with Amy and Johnny.”

“I hope not just them.” His gray eyes glittered with that twinkle.

“No, not just them.”

The air between them crackled with a finely honed tension. Their gazes remained bound while the world continued around them. One minute slid into two, yet Tess couldn’t find the strength to walk to her car.

Finally Mac straightened as though suddenly remembering they were standing on a public street with only a few hours until their date. “I’ll pick you up at six. Be ready to eat a lot of junk food and to have some fun.”

Tess saluted. “Aye, aye, sir.”

His chuckles drifted to her as she strolled to her car and climbed in. Something was in the air. She felt the charged atmosphere as though it were a palpable force. As she neared her apartment, her excitement grew. Their relationship was evolving to another level. She was no longer denying her attraction, and neither was he.

Tess stuffed the last of the chili dog into her mouth, chewed the gooey mess, then licked her lips. “My arteries won’t thank you, but I do.”

“Here, you missed some chili.” Mac dabbed a paper napkin on her chin.

His gaze captured hers. Again, her surroundings faded and all her senses were centered on Mac—so close that he threatened her equilibrium. Because of him, she looked forward to each new day. She had rediscovered the Lord and her faith. Mac had become very important in her life.

She blinked, shattering the moment of connection. “I love these things, but they aren’t easy to eat,” she said to cover her disconcerting revelation.

Amy peered at her father. “When are the clowns coming out?”

Tess took one look at the little girl with chili smeared all over her face and grinned. “It’s contagious.”

She took a napkin and cleaned Amy. As she wiped the child’s chin, Tess couldn’t shake the feeling she wanted to do this more often, on a regular basis. The knowledge left her shaken.

A man mounted the steps into the stands, selling cotton candy. Pulling on Mac’s arm, Johnny asked, “Can I have some?”

“That’s pure sugar.”

“I know. That’s why I love it.”

“Why did I bother saying that?” Mac muttered to Tess and raised his hand to ask the man to pass down two cotton candies.

“A parent’s duty is to be a voice of reason.” Tess shoved the newfound emotions concerning Mac and Amy away to be examined in the privacy of her apartment. When Mac pulled out some money and paid for the cotton candies, Tess asked, “What about me?”

“You, too?” Mac signaled for another one.

“Afraid so. I have a big sweet tooth I try to keep under control.”

“You’re not succeeding.”

“Nope.” Tess took the cotton candy Mac handed her.

“Your dentist must love you.”

“I don’t have one cavity in my mouth.”

He shot her a surprised glance right before the music swelled and the ringmaster announced the clowns.

“Daddy, look!” Amy pointed at a clown who had curly red hair and a big frown painted on his face.

He came running out and tripped over his large shoes, falling facedown in the arena. Two more bounded out, stumbled over the same imaginary spot, landing in a heap on top of the first one. Everyone in the audience laughed as the clowns tried to stand and ended up in a jumbled mess.

Halfway through their routine, Mac leaned across Amy and whispered to Tess, “Getting any ideas?”

“These skits require at least two people. Are you volunteering to get drenched with a bottle of water?”

“Since you’re helping me at the halfway house, I guess I could help you if it doesn’t involve putting on makeup. I have an image to uphold.”

“I’ll have to remember that the next time I’m entertaining the children on the floor.”

His eyes sparkled with humor. “I’m gonna be up there day after tomorrow. I think I could manage being a straight man.”

“Shh, Daddy, I can’t hear.”

“Sorry, pumpkin.”

Tess tried to contain her smile, but every time she peered at Mac she pictured him with water dripping off his face. The wonderful part of that picture would be Mac’s laughter. He enjoyed life.

“Somehow I get the feeling you aren’t grinning about the performance,” Mac whispered.

Pressing her lips in a straight line, Tess focused her attention on the center ring, but she felt Mac’s gaze on her. She resisted the strong urge to look at him again. When the clown routine was over, she realized she couldn’t remember a single thing any clown had done.

All her thoughts were fixed on the mischievous gleam in Mac’s eyes.

When a couple of performers traversed the high wire on a bicycle, Johnny exclaimed with wide eyes, “I’d like to try that.”

“Not without years of experience behind you,” Mac immediately said. “Promise?”

Johnny nodded. “I didn’t mean I would.”

“How about me, Daddy?”

“Same goes for you. It isn’t something to try at home. Understand, Amy?”

“I wouldn’t. I don’t like high places.”

Mac sighed heavily. “I think that’s one fear I’m glad she has.”

At the end of the performance Johnny jumped to his feet and clapped. Amy quickly followed suit, pumping her arm in the air like Johnny. Tess realized in a short time Mac had made Johnny feel like a part of the family. For a few seconds she thought about him as a father—of her children. Quickly she pushed that from her mind but not before she acknowledged he would be an excellent one.

As they climbed down the stands, Amy took Tess and Johnny’s hands. Mac linked his fingers through Tess’s. Together—like a real family—they made their way through the crowd to the car.

When everyone was settled inside, Mac pulled out of the parking space. “Come back to the house with us. It’s still early. I thought we could play a game, then put the children to bed. After that I’ll take you home.”

The scene he described fueled the image of being a family in Tess’s mind. Its temptation enticed her to accept. “I can’t stay up too late. I work tomorrow.”

“One game.”

“I want to play Twister,” Amy said.

“Yeah,” Johnny added.

“Then Twister it is.”

“I’m gonna spin for everyone,” Amy said with a shout of joy. “I do that real good.”

Thirty minutes later Tess contorted her body to reach a yellow circle with her right hand.

Amy spun the wheel for her father. “Red, Daddy.”

Mac twisted to look at the spinner, then plopped his left foot in the circle next to Tess. His face was inches from hers. Chuckling, he tickled Tess in the side, causing her to fall forward into Johnny, who managed to plow into Amy on the sideline. Mac jumped back, avoiding the pile of arms and legs, laughing at the sight of the entwined body parts before him.

“This reminds me of the clowns at the circus,” he said, trying to bring his laughter under control.

Tess looked up. “I think it’s payback time, kids.” Pulling her arm free from the bottom of the heap, she rose, her gaze fixed on Mac with mischief in mind.

He began to back up, his hands out to ward off the advancing trio. “I’m sure in the rules somewhere it states no ganging up.”

“I can’t read, Daddy.”

“Mac, it says nothing of the sort.” Tess proceeded toward him with Johnny on one side and Amy on the other.

“Well, it should. It’s highly unfair.”

“And tickling an opponent is fair?”

Mac feinted a move to the right, then circled the group. Tess lunged toward his upper body at the same time the two children went for his legs. Mac went down with a thump. Sitting on her haunches, Tess let Amy and Johnny tickle Mac in the ribs. His laughter warmed her insides, confirming the feeling of closeness she’d had all evening.

“Uncle. Uncle,” Mac called.

Reluctantly the children stopped, but Amy flung herself at her father, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“This has been the bestest day.” The little girl kissed Mac’s cheek.

“Yeah. I’ve never been to the circus,” Johnny added.

“I’m glad you two enjoyed it. Now it’s time for bed.”

“Can’t we stay up a little later?”

“No.” Mac sat up, bringing Amy with him. “You two get ready and I’ll be in to say good-night.”

“Tess, too?” Amy asked.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

With slumped shoulders and bent heads, the two children left the room. Tess sat on the floor near Mac with her legs tucked against her chest and her arms wrapped around them.

“They’re quite good at trying to make me feel bad that they have to go to bed,” Mac said with a chuckle. “Apparently Johnny didn’t have a bedtime before coming here. You should have heard him the first night I told him it was time to go to sleep. Amy has since learned to do the same thing. The other day she told me she would be four soon and perfectly capable of staying up all night. That was said with her arms folded and her chin tilted as though daring me to deny the fact.”

“Has she picked up any other habits from Johnny that you’ve had to contend with?”

“A few, but Johnny has been so good for Amy. She’s quick to share her things with him. She doesn’t even mind when I pay Johnny some extra attention. That worried me at first. She’s thrilled to have him here.”

“Have you heard from Mrs. Hocks about her search?”

The lines in his forehead deepened. He rose and began to pace as though nervous and not sure what to do with the extra energy. “Not in a few days. I have to confess I’ve started praying that she isn’t successful. I don’t want Johnny to leave here.”

“Hopefully things will work out.”

Mac stopped in the middle of the den and faced her, his arms straight at his sides. “What if they don’t and Johnny has to leave?”

“Then you will deal with it. You’re one of the strongest men I know. Your faith will sustain you.”

Mac knelt in front of Tess and took her hands. “But when I think about the possibility—”

Tess pressed her fingers over his mouth to stop his flow of words. “Shh. Don’t borrow trouble.”

Mac’s gaze snared hers and held it for a long moment. He started to lean forward when Amy called that she was ready for bed. “I guess that’s our cue.” Rising, he towered over Tess and offered his hand to help her to her feet.

“And I need to get home after I say good-night to Amy and Johnny.” Tess tamped her disappointment. She’d wanted Mac to kiss her.

“That long day tomorrow?” Mac asked while they walked down the hallway.

Tess nodded and entered Amy’s room. She sat in her white canopy bed with scores of books scattered over her pink bedspread.

“Daddy, I want you to read this one and this one and—”

“One, Amy, at bedtime. You know the rule.”

She screwed her features into a thoughtful look and flipped through the books until she found the one she wanted. “Can Tess read it to me tonight?”

“Sure.” Mac slid a glance toward Tess. “If she wants to.”

“Are you kidding? I would be honored to read you a story.”

Amy scooted over and made room for Tess. “Great.”

“What about your prayers?”

Amy folded her hands and bowed her head. “Our Father, please watched over Daddy, Johnny, Grandma, Tess, Nina and all my uncles, aunts and cousins. Thank you for a great time at the circus. Amen.”

When Tess heard her name included in the list of people Amy wanted God to protect, her throat closed. It took a moment after the child finished her prayer to feel her voice was strong enough to read to Amy. Finally Tess began the story about a princess who was lost and trying to find her way home. By the time she came to the end and looked at Amy, the little girl was asleep, her head resting against Tess’s arm. She closed the book and carefully slid off the bed while Mac shifted Amy to a more comfortable position then covered her with a blanket.