That Dog Won't Hunt (Dearing Family Series) (14 page)

BOOK: That Dog Won't Hunt (Dearing Family Series)
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CHAPTER 23
Ruth stood in an assembly line at the kitchen counter with Maddy and Sarah, putting together ham sandwiches for a late lunch. She already had potato salad made, and they’d pulled out a large bag of chips from the pantry. Lunch at Dearing reunions tended to be chaotic, folks eating whenever they had the chance. But now that the men had come home early, the family would end up eating together around the dining room table.
Except maybe Ben and Christina. And Jess and Tamel.
She threw a glance across the family room, ever on the watch for any of those four to appear.
Somewhere far down the east wing a door slammed. Ruth stilled.
Hard footsteps stomped up the hall. Had to be Ben.
Slices of ham still in her hand, Ruth hurried through the family room and toward the front hall. Her son was near the top of the stairs.
“Ben!”
He turned, his face taut with anger.
“What happened?”
“I can’t talk right now.” He swiveled and disappeared on the second floor.
Air rushed from Ruth’s lungs.
Heavy-hearted, she made her way back to the kitchen. Maddy and Sarah raised their eyebrows in silent questions. Ruth shook her head. “Looks like now
they’re
fightin’.”
“Oh, boy.” Sarah looked at the line-up of sandwiches. “Guess we’d better make two less.”
“What about Jess?” Maddy held a knife and a jar of mayonnaise. “And should we make one for Tamel?”
“Tamel always wants to eat.” Sarah laid cheese on a slice of bread.
“Yeah, but Jess might not want him to stay.”
“Jess doesn’t know what she wants. That’s the problem.”
Ruth laid the ham slices on a plate and rinsed her hands. Her thoughts still snagged on Ben and Christina. “How can you two be talkin’ about the food at a time like this?”
Sarah put cheese on another sandwich. “Don’t worry, Mama, if it’s meant to be, they’ll work it out.”
What if it wasn’t meant to be? Ben would be devastated.
“As for Jess, she’s so stubborn,” Sarah said. “If she doesn’t see the light during this visit, it’ll be a while before she gets back here. She could lose Tamel altogether. Then she’ll be sorry.”
“Yeah,” Maddy said, “cute as he is, other women’ll flock to him like geese to honey.”
Sarah snickered. “Bees to honey.”
“What?”

Bees,
Maddy.”
Maddy screwed up her face. “Bees don’t flock.”
“But they—” Sarah raised both hands. “Oh, never mind.”
Voices sounded in the front hallway.
Jess!
Ruth’s heart wavered. “Here they come,” she whispered. “Now, don’t you two say anything.”
Sarah put on an innocent face. “Who, us?”
All three heads swung toward the family room doorway. Ruth could feel the questions vibrating off Maddy and Sarah.
Jess came through the entrance, followed by Tamel.
“Hi, you two.” Ruth searched Jess’s face. Her daughter held her head high, as if trying to appear nonchalant, even as three pairs of eyes looked her over. All the same, Jess’s expression seemed … softer. “You hungry? We’re makin’ sandwiches. Tamel?”
“Sure, thanks, Mama Ruth.”
Jess gave a tight smile. “Yeah, me too.”
Ruth nodded. Jess looked different beside Tamel. That simmering hurt masked by anger was gone. “You stayin’ for supper, Tamel?”
“No, ma’am, I’d love to, but I need to feed my dad. I’ll be over after supper, though. Jess and I are goin’ out for a while.”
Jess threw dagger gazes at Sarah, then Maddy. Daring either of them to say one word.
“Okay.” Ruth kept her voice light. “Maybe you can have some dessert with us before y’all go.”
“That would be great.”
Ruth shot up a silent prayer of thanks. She turned back to the sandwich-making. From the corner of her eye she glanced at Sarah, unable to keep her lips from curving. Sarah smiled back.
“Where’s Christina and Ben?” Jess asked.
“In their rooms.” Ruth sighed. “Things don’t look good.”
“Oh.” Jess studied the counter. “Wonder if I should try to go and apologize again. Although that didn’t work so well the first time.”
“Maybe you ought to just leave her alone.” Sarah put cheese on the last sandwich. “Whatever’s goin’ on, she and Ben have to work it out.”
“She doesn’t want to work it out, that’s just it. That girl has issues.”
“Shh.” Ruth shot a look toward the hall. “Keep your voice down.”
Jess walked over and laid a hand on her mama’s shoulder. “You’d better prepare yourself. I don’t think this is gonna work. And in the end Ben will be better off without her.”
Ruth would not dwell on that thought. Her son would be crushed. “We just need to give her extra space. She’s had a hard life.”
“I get that, Mama. But she doesn’t seem willin’ to
let
us give her extra space. She’s just decided that for whatever reason, she can’t blend into this family.”
“Well.” Ruth started putting sandwiches on plates. “We’ll see.”
Everyone assembled for lunch—except Ben and Christina. Sy, Jake, and Don were showered and smelling fresh as a flower patch. After lunch Sy planned to haul the lobster corpses down to the dumpster behind Piggly Wiggly. They wouldn’t sit there long before the bin was emptied. Lady Penelope trotted into the dining room as if she’d never encountered the “family’s eating” rule in her life. Sy pointed toward the kitchen and told her to get into her bed. She marched out, nose in the air.
“Where’s Christina, I want to sit by her.” Lacey looked around.
“In her room, restin’.” Sarah patted the place beside her. “Sit here.”
“I’ll go get her.”
“No.”
“But—”
“Sit.”
Lacey sat.
“I don’t care if she’s not here.” Alex picked up a potato chip. “She got my clothes dirty.”
“You did that yourself.” Lacey’s eyes flashed. “You’re the one who spilled your pie.”
“She gave it to me.”
“You wanted it!”
“Girls.” Jake frowned at both of them. “Hush.”
“Alex, I don’t want to hear you say one more word about Christina.” Maddy pointed at her daughter.
“But she—”
“You want to go to your room?” Don gave her a hard look.
Alex pouted and shook her head.
“Then be quiet.”
The rest of the meal passed with less than animated conversation between bouts of silence—a first for the Dearings. Ben’s seat looked so empty. Ruth could almost feel the concern for him rolling off each person. She exchanged a long, knowing look with Sy down the length of the table. For the first time she let herself wonder if Christina’s presence in the family would cause more scenes like this. How would they handle it? And Ben’s life could become such a roller coaster.
What if he
was
better off without her?
Ruth could hardly taste her sandwich. There was only so much a mother could do to fix things for her children. When they were little it was much easier. She could kiss the scrapes and bandage the cuts. Nurse them when they were sick. But to stand by and watch an adult child be deeply hurt cut her to the core.
After lunch Tamel left to be with his father. He insisted on dumping the now dead lobsters at Piggly Wiggly for Sy. “No big deal.” He shrugged. “I drive a hearse.” Maddy and Sarah shooed their kids outside to play in the backyard awhile. Sy and Don said they’d toss them the Frisbee.
Sarah and Jake took off to scour the town for the perfect place to shoot the family summer photo. They happened to walk out the door the same time as Tamel, who was lugging the tied plastic bag of lobsters. They stopped for a minute on the sidewalk and talked. Ruth spotted Jess watching them through the front window, Maddy beside her. She joined them.
“Now what do you suppose they’re yakkin’ about?” Jess narrowed her eyes at the threesome.
Maddy lifted a shoulder. “Maybe he’s givin’ them ideas for the picture.”
“He’d better not be.”
Maddy laughed. “You’re just worried they’ll beat your pink bathtubs.”
“Nobody’ll beat my tubs.”
“Uh-huh. Or maybe they’re talkin’ about what happened between you and Tamel.”
Uh-oh.
Jess drew herself up and gave her sister an imperious look. “Nothin’ happened between me and Tamel.”
“Well, you certainly seem to be gettin’ along all of a sudden.”
Jess pulled her mouth in and turned away. Which was all that needed to be said.
Ruth and Maddy exchanged a glance. Maddy gave a thumbs up. Ruth nodded.
Thank you, Lord.
Ben eventually came downstairs. Ruth fed him a late lunch. Christina didn’t so much as poke her head out of her room. Ben ate despondently, then moped around the house. He sought consolation in Ruth and his two sisters, moving from teary-eyed to angry and defensive as he related what had happened. Bottom line, he’d done all he could do. Now it was up to Christina.
The afternoon inched by. Ben kept watching the clock and shooting glances toward the hall. Ruth could not stop thinking about Christina locked in her room. Wasn’t she hungry? Shouldn’t she take her some lunch?
Ben said no. “She wants to be left alone, and that’s what we’re gonna do.”
“But maybe she’s waitin’ for us to make the first move.”
“I
did
make the first move, Mama. I went to her. And she turned me away.” The hurt in Ben’s voice pierced Ruth’s heart.
The kids, Sy, and Don came inside, cheeks beet red and sweating. “Whoo!” Sy rinsed his face off at the kitchen sink. “I need another shower.” The little girls were dragging. Maddy sent them both to their rooms for a nap. Lacey insisted on taking Penny with her. Penny obliged.
Around four o’clock Jake and Sarah returned, apparently victorious in their search. “What did you find?” Maddy started pestering them as soon as they came in the door.
Jake’s eyes shone. “Not tellin’.”
“Oh, come on!”
“Nope. Just prepare to be amazed.”
“Sarah, tell us.”
“Huh-uh.” She scrunched her nose at Jess and sing-songed, “We’re gonna beat you.”
“We’ll just see about that.” Jess wagged her head.
The picture-taking would take place Sunday afternoon. In the morning they’d go to church. Would Christina be with them for any of it? Certainly by tomorrow morning she’d come out of her room. She had to eat.
No matter what Ben said, Ruth wasn’t about to let a guest starve.
CHAPTER 24
After Ben stormed out of her room, Christina had cried herself to sleep. When she awoke, her face felt hot and her eyelashes glued together. She pried her lids open and stood up to check herself in the dresser mirror. Drew back her head in horror. She looked absolutely awful. Red eyes and chapped lips. No moisture left in her system.
She desperately needed water. At the bathroom sink she guzzled down two glasses.
After that she couldn’t seem to keep still. She paced the room, going ’round and ’round until her legs grew tired and her stomach rumbled. When she sighed herself onto the bench the little gold clock on the dresser read three forty-five.
Christina stared at the carpet, her mind numb. She needed Ben but would never make him happy. Longed for a bright future but didn’t know how to let go of her dark past. Wanted to be loved yet was too scared to freely love in return.
Ben’s words echoed in her head.
“Are you gonna let your awful past ruin the rest of your life? Or are you willin’ to do the work to climb out of it?”
Of course she wanted to climb out of it. But she didn’t know
how
. That was just it.
She never should have come. Never have let Ben take her on that first date. She just wanted to die.
Christina knew she should pray. She’d been going to church with Ben and felt peace in God’s presence. She’d thanked God many times for sending him to her. Had promised to treat Ben right in return. Now look at her. Why should God listen anyway? Why should he want a thing to do with her?
A little tap came through her bedroom door. Christina didn’t answer. Maybe the person would think she was asleep. The knock came again.
She sighed. “Who is it?”
“Lacey.”
Christina barely heard the quiet voice.
She pushed herself to her feet and opened the door. Lacey gazed up at her with a solemn face, Penny in her arms. The Yorkie gave Christina the once-over.
Oh, great. The dog that didn’t like her.
“Can I come in?” Lacey whispered.
Christina opened the door wider and stepped back.
“Close it quick.” Lacey came in and slipped out of sight from the doorway.
Christina shut it. Tilted her head at Lacey. The little girl lifted both shoulders and let them drop. “I’m supposed to be takin’ a nap.”
“Oh.”
“But I already took a little one.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Sort of.”
They looked at each other. Christina wanted Lacey to leave but couldn’t bring herself to reject her like that. “Want to sit down?”
Lacey nodded and plopped on the bed. Penny settled beside her.
Christina hesitated, then sat down on the other side of the dog, some distance away.
Lacey jiggled on the mattress. “Why are you in here?”
“I was sleeping too.”
“Oh. But you’re awake now.”
“Uh-huh.”
“You gonna go out there with Ben?”
“Not yet. I’ll stay and talk to you.”
Lacey grinned. She pushed her lips together and petted Lady Penelope. Christina merely watched. “Guess what we’re havin’ for supper,” Lacey said.
Christina flinched. That was not a subject she cared to discuss. “What?”
“Hamburgers!” Lacey bounced on the bed.
“You like hamburgers?”
“They’re my favorite! Alex’s and Pogey’s too. We’re so glad everyone’s gonna eat ’em. So we don’t have to see those scary fish things on the plates.”
“You mean the lobsters?”
Lacey shuddered. “I think if I saw Daddy eat one, I’d throw up. Or Mama either.”
Well. At least Christina had pleased someone in the family.
Lacey watched her own fingers move through Penny’s fur. “You can pet her too.”
“I don’t think so. She doesn’t like me anymore.”
“Yeah she does.”
Christina closed her eyes. Lacey sounded just like Ben. Why wouldn’t anyone listen to her?
“Why do you think she doesn’t like you?”
“I laughed at her when she was howling. She got mad.”
“Ohhh.” Lacey moved her chin up and down. “And then she went to the corner and pouted?”
“Yes.”
Lacey made a face. “She can pout just like Alex.”
That was certainly true.
“Anyway, it doesn’t mean anything. She gets mad for a while, then she forgets.”
“How do you know?”
Lacey scratched Penny behind the ears. The dog closed her eyes and smiled a doggie smile. “She’s been mad at all of us at one time. Me too. But look at her now. She’s my real friend.” Lacey lifted her hand from Penny’s head. “Go ahead. You try.”
Christina stilled. She didn’t want to try. Because if it didn’t work, if a stupid
dog
wouldn’t even accept her …
“Go ahead, why’re you scared? She doesn’t bite.”
Sometimes words—or doggie actions—bit worse than teeth.
Lacey cocked her head and gazed at Christina. “Are you sad?”
Christina blinked. “Yes,” she heard herself say.
“Oh.” Lacey started petting Lady Penelope again. “I have a sad friend.”
“You do? Who?”
“Kelly.”
“Why is she sad?”
“Her mama died.”
Christina sucked in a breath. “Oh, that’s terrible.”
“Mm-hm.” Lacey’s eyebrows knit. “I try to make her not sad.”
“What do you do?”
“Go to her house and talk to her. Give her a colorin’ book sometimes. Or new crayons. She really likes it when I do that. And for a little while she’s happier, I think. But then she’s sad again.”
Christina watched her gently ruffle Penny’s fur.
“Mama says I can’t really make her happy, no matter how hard I try. Only just for a little while.”
“Because she’s lost someone really important.”
“Uh-huh. But I like to see that little while part. I think maybe one day she’ll feel better. But Mama says it will take a long time.”
Christina couldn’t imagine losing someone who really loved her like that.
Wait, what was she thinking? She was losing Ben …
Lacey looked into Christina’s eyes. “Why are
you
sad?”
“I … just am.”
Lacey bit her lip. “Don’t you like it here?”
“Sure.”
“Do you like me?”
“Are you kidding—I think you’re wonderful.”
Lacey beamed. She considered Christina a moment longer, than put her little hand on top of Christina’s. “Here.” She moved Christina’s fingers toward Penny. “If you pet her, you’ll feel better.”
Christina let her hand hover over the Yorkie, barely touching the soft fur. Then she lowered her fingers. Carefully she started petting. At the different touch, Penny opened lazy eyes and looked up at Christina. Her fingers stilled. Penny’s eyes slipped shut again.
“See?” Lacey smiled. “She knows it’s you.”
Something cracked inside Christina, something small and … earth shaking.
Lady Penelope rolled on her side and lifted her two top legs.
“She wants you to scritch her belly,” Lacey said.
Scritch?
Christina rubbed her fingers across the Yorkie’s little stomach. The dog sighed.
Lacey grinned. “See, told you.”
“Guess you did.”
It was only a dog. And a little girl who couldn’t possibly understand. Still, Lacey had such a huge heart. Christina felt her own warming.
Lacey squashed her lips together. “I wish Kelly could forget that easy. So she could feel better.”
“Me too.” The dog was now completely on her back, all four paws in the air. Christina ran her hand up and down the dog’s belly.
Lacey kicked one of her feet. “You know why Penny forgets after somebody’s made her mad?”
“Why?”
“’Cause.” Lacey raised her hands, palms up. “She’d miss a whole lot of love if she didn’t.”
The words trickled through the crack inside Christina. Dissolved some of the edges. Her throat tightened. She gazed across the room at the bench where she and Ben had sat. Remembered the swirling pain on his face …
Her fingers stilled.
She felt a tiny thump on her hand. Penny’s eyes had opened, her right front paw tapping Christina’s palm—
hey, scritch already
. Christina started petting her again. The dog’s eyes closed in sheer bliss.
The crack inside her widened. Something behind it glowed.
“Lacey?” Sarah’s irritated voice beyond the door made them both jump. “Are you in there?”
The little girl’s eyes rounded. Christina patted her on the arm. “It’s okay.” She slid off the bed and opened the door.
Sarah looked past Christina at her daughter. “I’m so sorry. Lacey, you are not supposed to be in here botherin’ her.”
“She’s not bothering me. Not at all.”
Sarah regarded Christina.
“We were just … petting Lady Penelope. Lacey was telling me about her friend Kelly.”
“Oh.” Sarah’s expression softened. “Yeah. Sad story.” She looked to Lacey. “But come on. You need to come out of there now.”
“Is it time for the hamburgers?” Lacey slipped from the bed. Penny stayed behind.
“Not yet.”
Sarah glanced at Christina—and caught her eye. They exchanged a long look. Christina felt nothing but concern vibrating from her. No judgment.
“You’re comin’ out for supper, aren’t you?” Sarah asked.
Christina hesitated. “I don’t know.”
“Yes you are!” Lacey pulled at her arm. “And sit by me.”
Sarah offered a small smile. “You know I make a mean after-supper latte.”
“No other family will love you like this one—if you’ll just quit pushin’ ’em away.”
Christina shifted on her feet. “Won’t
anybody
else drink one with you?”
Sarah shook her head. “What do they know anyhow?”
Her expression was so open. Inviting. Caring. Christina didn’t know what to do with that.
Sarah reached for Lacey’s hand and pulled her out the door. “Listen, Christina. I’m sorry for laughin’ about the lobsters. I—
we
—were laughin’ at Jess, not you. She was havin’ one of her hissy fits.”
Tears tugged at the back of Christina’s throat. “I … know.”
Sarah tapped her daughter on the head. “Go on into our room. Brush your hair.”
With a final smile at Christina, Lacey skipped away.
Sarah dropped her voice. “Jess wasn’t mad at you either. Not really. I know she acted like it. But it’s because she was havin’ trouble with Tamel.”
Christina raised her eyebrows.
“Looks like they got it worked out now, though. I don’t know the details, and Jess isn’t about to tell. And don’t
you
tell her I said anything.”
“Okay.” How were they even having this conversation? Christina felt more than a little stunned.
Sarah leaned forward, one conspirator to another. “Tell you somethin’ else. But it’s a secret.”
Christina could only nod.
“Jake and I found the
perfect
spot for our family pictures tomorrow.” Her eyes danced. “Jess is gonna die. It’s way better than her bathtubs.”
“Oh.”
“We take the pictures after church. It’s always the craziest afternoon of the reunion. Lots of fun.” Sarah grinned.
Christina’s head bobbed once more. She tried to smile back.
“Well.” Sarah straightened. “I’ll let you get ready for supper. I think it’s in about forty-five minutes.” She threw another dazzling smile at Christina. Nothing fake about it. Nothing forced.
“Okay. I’ll be there.”
Had she said that?
Sarah nodded and walked off. Christina closed her door in a daze.
What had just happened?
She turned around and spotted Penny still lying on the bed. The Yorkie caught her gaze and gave a little wiggle—
come pet me.
Christina walked to the bed and sat down. Picked up Lady Penelope and held her in her lap. The little dog snuggled in.
Staring at the door, Christina pictured Sarah and Lacey, and the rest of the family. Most of all—Ben.
“Your future belongs with me. Nobody else is gonna love you like I do.”
The crack inside Christina opened wider still, and she sensed with a start what the glow behind it was. Hope. She closed her eyes and dwelt in it awhile. Tried to get used to the feel of it. Then she took a deep breath—maybe the deepest of her life. Gently she placed Penny back on the bed and headed into the bathroom to fix her makeup for supper.
BOOK: That Dog Won't Hunt (Dearing Family Series)
5.39Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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