Jessie (17 page)

“We talked last night,” she said quietly, having understood what he wanted to know just from the rise of his brows.

“And?”

“He'll meet the girls today.”

“Do they know?” Jeb got out before Hannah turned to him with a question. Jessie was able to shake her head no, and they dropped the conversation.

The guests didn't stay long, but Jeb was glad to have seen them. The girls went out of the room first so Jeb was able to say a little more.

“Are you ready for this?”

“I don't know about me, but I think the girls need him in their lives.”

“I'll be praying for you, but then you already know that.”

Jessie nodded. She never thanked him for those words, but she didn't argue either.

“He helped me out all day yesterday,” Jessie felt a reason to add. “As far as the store is concerned, it was like he'd never left.”

“Well, that's nice to hear because I won't be in for at least a month.”

“We'll see,” Jessie said, and then took her leave.

Jeb wasted no time in doing what he'd promised. He was still praying for his younger cousin when Patience arrived home from church.

“I need to talk to you,” Jessie had started when they arrived back at the apartment above the store. But then she found herself strangely tongue-tied. The girls looked expectantly at her, but it took some moments for her to gather her wits.

“Have you ever wondered about your father?” Jessie tried, and to her surprise, both girls gave her their complete attention.

“Do we have a father?” Hannah asked.

“Yes, you do,” Jessie answered, actually glad she was able to say this. “I was married a long time ago, before you were born, Hannah.”

“Where is he?”

“Well, he's been away, but he wants to come back now and meet you girls.”

“He's not dead?” Clancy asked.

“No. Did you think he was?”

“Well, Rosie's father is dead, and I thought ours was, didn't I, Hannah?”

Jessie watched Hannah nod.

“You girls have talked about this?” Jessie asked.

Again Hannah nodded, and Jessie barely got out her next question.

“Why didn't you ask me?”

“We didn't want to make you sad,” Hannah said.

Jessie could not believe what she was hearing. She hadn't thought about Seth in a long time and assumed her daughters were no different. She had at least known Seth, but he'd left when Hannah was only 16 months old. The girls hadn't even a memory to fall back on.

“Are you mad at us?” Clancy asked when the silence lasted a little too long.

“No,” Jessie was swift to say, but nothing about her face or voice reassured them. “I just need to tell you something, and I'm making a mess of it.”

“Just say it,” Hannah suggested, having heard her mother say this often enough.

Jessie looked at her and said, “Your father is here. In Token Creek. He wants to meet you.”

“We have a father in Token Creek?” Hannah asked, not sure she understood.

“Yes. He's been away for a long time.”

“Where has he been?”

“In Texas. He left before you were born, Clancy, and didn't come back until last week.”

“Why not?”

“Well,” Jessie started but then faltered. What would Seth want her to say? This question had no more formed than Jessie felt a spark of anger. He hadn't had to stay away all these years. He could answer that question himself!

“I'll tell you what,” Jessie went on, successfully covering her feelings. “He'll be here this afternoon to meet you, and you can ask him yourself.”

“He's coming here today?” Clancy asked.

“Yes.”

The girls looked at each other with such excitement that Jessie knew she'd done the right thing. She wasn't sure if she was ready for this, but she knew it was right.

“When?” Clancy asked.

“After lunch.”

That the girls were excited was only too obvious. Jessie expected more questions and even some trepidation, but they both looked eager, and Clancy even asked how long it was until lunch. Jessie answered her absently but wouldn't have answered at all if she'd known she was going to be asked at least ten more times.

“This is a fine roast, Becky,” Jeanette complimented her cook, and everyone occupying her dining room table agreed.

“Courter had just butchered a steer, and I told him I needed a big piece,” Becky said in her indomitable way. “How is that gravy?”

Compliments came from all around for the gravy as well, and Becky finally joined the diners at the table, taking a seat next to Heather.

Jeanette had gathered the family for Sunday dinner. Brad and Meg, who were expecting their third child in December, took one side of the table with Savanna and Cathryn nearby. Trace and Cassidy were also in attendance, with Joey on his father's knee. Five-month-old Netty had been hungry during the service but fallen asleep before her mother could feed her, giving Cassidy time to enjoy the meal.

“Who was the man sitting with Bri this morning?” Cassidy asked Trace.

“That was Seth Redding, Jessie's husband,” he told her and in the next few minutes explained what he knew of Jessie's marriage.

“I don't think he's been around since before Clancy was born,” Brad added, “and when he was here, he certainly wasn't in church.”

“Do you think Jessie knows he's here?” Jeanette asked the table at large.

“I think she must,” Trace responded. “It looked to me as if he's staying with Rylan and Bri, and Ry wouldn't do anything to hurt Jessie.”

Everyone knew how true this was, and after a few more moments of speculation, the conversation changed to the sermon. Rylan was teaching on the subject of humility through the summer, and nearly everyone at the table had something to share. They were all learning much about their own need to be humble, and that topic didn't vary for the next hour.

“Are you ready for this?” Rylan asked just a few minutes before Seth was ready to leave.

“I think so. I'm working to keep my expectations low.”

“I think you're wise not to expect the girls to embrace a stranger, but be careful, Seth, that you don't sell God short. Your expectations of Him should be as high as they can get.”

“In what way?”

“He's already brought you an amazing distance, and I don't mean from Texas. You were just saying last night that you'd finished memorizing more than half of Job 23. You would never have even considered doing such a thing two years ago. God will bless you today, Seth. He may not give your daughters back to you or ever restore your marriage, but He will bless you for going there and making this effort.”

“Thanks, Rylan,” Seth returned sincerely. He would not have thought of it in those terms. He was so busy working not to expect too much from Jessie and the girls that he'd missed all the blessings he had already been given.

Seth thought about this all the way to the back of the store, but he was still feeling more than a little uncertain about meeting the girls when he arrived. He knocked and didn't have long to wait, but suddenly the realization of what he was going to do made his heart feel like lead in his chest.

“Are you all right?” Jessie had to ask the minute she saw Seth. She'd never seen him so pale.

“I think so.”

Jessie stared up at him, surprise filling her. He was scared. She would not have believed it possible, but Seth Redding was terrified.

“They're very excited to meet you,” Jessie said, shutting the door behind him and finding her arm gripped in his hand.

“Really, Jessie? Are they really?”

“Yes,” she said softly, reading the desperation in his eyes. “It's all they've talked about since I told them.”

Seth suddenly realized he was touching her and dropped his hand. He pulled at his collar and tried to compose himself, his eyes focused across the storeroom for a moment as he prayed for calm. When he glanced back at Jessie, his look was unreadable, but she knew his calmness was an act. Emotions were surging through him, and he was barely able to function. Jessie led the way upstairs, thinking that all her thoughts had been for her daughters. When it came to this first meeting, she had not given Seth a moment's thought.

Seth was certain his heart was going to pound out of his chest. He followed Jessie, feeling as though he were dreaming. He'd thought about this so much, and now that it was here, he could barely take it in.

“You were in the store,” Clancy said the moment Seth stepped into the room.

“Yes, I was,” Seth managed with just a small clearing of his throat. The girls were standing not six feet inside the door, both looking adorable and expectant, their faces clean and their hair combed and neat.

“Girls,” Jessie stepped in, finding this more emotional than she imagined. “This is your father. His name is Seth Redding.”

“Seth Redding?” Hannah asked.

“That's right,” Jessie answered, seeing that she was going to have to take control. “Come in, Seth, and sit down. Come, Hannah and Clancy. Come and sit down so we can all talk.”

Once seated, the sisters stared at Seth and said nothing. This was the last thing either Seth or Jessie expected, but Seth finally composed himself and found his voice.

“You girls are beautiful, like your mother.”

“We look like her,” Clancy said, having heard this many times over the years.

“Yes, you do,” Seth agreed, smiling for the first time. “I'm glad you have her blonde hair and blue eyes.”

“Where do you live?” Hannah asked.

“I just moved back to Token Creek, and I don't have a place of my own yet. I'm staying with Rylan and Bri right now.”

“They have a baby!” Hannah said, coming uncorked. As though Seth had never met Danny Jarvik, he heard all about him—how big he was, when he learned to walk, and the last word Hannah had heard him say.

“Why don't you live here with us?” Clancy asked when Hannah paused for breath.

Seth had not been expecting this but was still able to answer.

“I think it's good that I stay at Rylan and Bri's.”

“The dads are supposed to live with the moms,” Clancy said when he was done, her brow furrowed in thought.

“You're right. They usually do but not always.”

“When will we see you?”

“Well, since Jeb broke his ankle, I'll be coming in to help your mom with the store.”

Seth was not looking at Jessie, or he would have seen her raise her brows. She had not known this was the plan and would wait until the girls talked themselves out to mention this fact.

The girls were suddenly on their feet, running to the bedroom to find things they wanted to show Seth. Before she had planned on it, Jessie found herself alone with Seth, his eyes on her.

“They're so beautiful, Jessie, and smart and fun. You've done an amazing job.”

“Thank you.” Jessie smiled a little, her eyes going to the bedroom the girls had disappeared into. “They keep me young.”