The Hearts We Mend (16 page)

“Do you believe Cheryl? That she didn't know anything about the drugs?”

“Yes.” Jack had gone through all the possible scenarios in his mind, and his gut told him that Cheryl wouldn't knowingly take that risk. Not if it meant she could go to jail. “But what matters is
what the judge believes. Cheryl was the one driving, so the police are treating her as an accessory.

“She got into some trouble before they moved to Banister Falls and ended up getting arrested. She didn't have a record, so she paid a fine and the judge sentenced her to a year's probation. By being involved in another crime, she broke the terms of her probation, so she might have to serve out the rest of that sentence until the trial.”

“How long would that be?”

“January.”

“That's six months from now.” Worry clouded Evie's eyes. “Won't the judge take the fact that Cheryl has a child into consideration?”

“He did . . . the first time. And that was a different judge, so it's hard to predict what this one will do.”

“And Travis?”

“Depending on what the district attorney decides to charge him with, he could be looking at some prison time. Possibly three to five years.” Saying the words out loud made the whole situation seem real.

God, how can I help Travis if he's locked up in jail?

“I'm sorry.” Jack pushed to his feet. “I didn't mean to dump my family's dirty laundry in the middle of your kitchen table.”

“Uncle Jack?” Lily wandered into the kitchen, a colorful afghan draped around her shoulders like a cape, the ribboned braid that Evie had put in her hair slightly askew.

“Hey, Peanut.” Jack swept her into a hug. “I'm sorry I missed out on all the fun today.”

“I saved some cotton candy for you.”

“The perfect dessert.” He set Lily back on her feet with a wink. “Now, where are your shoes?”

“In the living room.” Lily wiggled her bare toes. The tips were Caribbean Sunrise. “Do you want to see the pictures we drew? Evie
drew a picture of Diva—she lives with Cody and Raine—and I drew one of Bitsy.”

Jack had forgotten about Bitsy again. She and Harley were going to have to learn to get along.

“Lily, while you get your things together, I'm going to box up a few slices of lasagna for you to take along,” Evie said. “There's too much for me, and you were the one who helped me grate all that delicious cheese.”

“Did you like it, Uncle Jack?”

“It was delicious,” Jack agreed.

He heard Evie's cell phone ring as Lily towed him down the short hallway to the living room.

After seeing her office at the church, the décor was a little more casual than he would have expected. The furniture comfortable, the kind built for relaxing instead of admiring from afar.

“Evie painted that picture too.” Lily pointed to a framed watercolor above the fireplace mantel. A field of dandelions, tiny yellow splotches against a green background.

Jack wandered over for a closer look—and saw the photographs lined up on the mantle. Small snapshots of Evie's life.

Her husband, Max, wearing his turnout gear. Sitting in front of a Christmas tree, cradling a bald newborn in his arms. There were several photographs of Cody too.

But none of Evie.

Because she'd always been behind the camera? The one who recorded the memories instead of the one who made them?

“I'm sorry that took so long. Cody doesn't usually call me this time of night.” Evie returned, holding one of those reusable grocery bags. “I put the cotton candy on top.”

“Do you think I'll ever get to meet Diva?” Lily held up Evie's drawing, an impressive likeness of a sweet-faced golden retriever.

Evie hesitated—long enough for Jack to step in and save her from having to lie.

“Ready, Lily?”

“Uh-huh.” Without being prompted, Lily threw her arms around Evie's waist. “Thank you for letting me come over.”

“Thank you for the awesome manicure.” Evie tucked a wayward strawberry-blonde curl behind Lily's ear. When she looked at Jack, her smile slipped a notch. “I'll see you Monday morning?”

“I'll be there.”
Monday morning.
Less than forty-eight hours to figure out his new normal.

Lily was already buckled in when Jack hopped into the cab of the pickup.

“Rosewood Court.” She twisted around and read the words out loud as Jack drove underneath the metal archway that divided Evie's neighborhood from the rest of the town.

Jack glanced in the rearview mirror. The two-story brick house, with its leaded glass windows and dormers that resembled miniature turrets, was smack-dab in the center of the cul-de-sac.

Max Bennett hadn't just bought Evie a house. He'd built her a castle.

“Do you think Mommy and Daddy are home yet? I want them to see my butterfly.” Lily touched the glittery pink wings of the whimsical creature Raine had painted on her cheekbone at the picnic.

“You're—” Jack heard his voice crack and tried again. “You're going to be staying with me tonight, Peanut.”

“Is it okay with Mommy and Daddy?”

Jack's hands tightened on the steering wheel.

You're supposed to be looking out for your family, Trav. Why am I the one who has to explain to Lily where you and Cheryl are spending the night?

“Yes, it's okay with them.” Jack had no script for this. “Lil . . . I'm not sure when they'll be home.”

“They did something bad, didn't they?”

“They did something bad.” Jack's vision blurred. The street and the curb melting together, the way things looked after a hard rain. “But that doesn't mean your mom and dad are bad people. They love you, Lily, and what they did . . . It isn't your fault. Grownups make mistakes too, and when they do, there are consequences.”

“Are they in jail?”

Jack didn't trust his voice, so he nodded.

“Can we get Bitsy? I don't think she wants to be alone tonight.”

“That's going to be our first stop.”

Jack glanced over at Lily, and the expression on her face just about wrecked him. Not the confusion or the fear he'd expected to see. Something even worse.

Relief.

Lily hugged her knees against her chest, and out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw her release a long, shuddering breath.

Another question for heaven.
Why did life have to be so hard down here?

The taillights of Jack's truck disappeared, but Evie stood at the window for another five minutes.

How would Jack even know what to say to Lily? How did you explain to a little girl that her parents weren't going to be there to tuck her into bed? Make her breakfast in the morning?

And Jack . . . his apartment wasn't exactly set up for a child. What was he going to do with Lily when he went to work every day? Nicki worked at the diner and was raising three small children on her own.

“Knock knock!”

The front door opened, and Evie heard the familiar sound of Diva's toenails clattering against the tile floor in the foyer.

She knelt down, and the retriever barreled into her arms. Evie rocked back on her heels and examined the paisley bandana tied around Diva's neck. “It looks like someone had a spa day.”

“Raine gave her a bath yesterday.” Cody sauntered in behind her, carrying two large plastic cups from Quigley's Drive-In.

“Okay . . .” Evie eyed the shake. “What are we celebrating?”

“She knows me too well.” Cody grinned at Raine.

“We brought one for you too.” Raine offered one of the cups to Evie.

The handle of the plastic spoon was embedded in a concoction of Play-Doh blue ice cream, marshmallow cream, and multicolored sprinkles. Lots of sprinkles.

Evie blinked. “I have no words.”

“It's not a vanilla announcement, Mom.”

“Now you've really got me curious.” Evie felt her smile fray a little at the corners.

Had Jack told Lily yet? Did he have a bedroom set up for her? How would Lily react when he told her?

“I'm sorry it got a little melty on the way here.”

She'd been staring at the shake. Evie rerouted the direction of her thoughts and focused them on Cody and Raine. “It looks delicious. And it's a nice night . . . Why don't we sit out on the patio?”

Cody spotted the dishes on the table as they filed through the kitchen. “It looks like you already had a party.”

“Jack came over to pick up Lily a little while ago, and he hadn't had time to eat supper. I warmed up some leftovers.”

“Wow.”

“What's wow?”

Cody and Raine exchanged a look that Evie couldn't quite interpret.

“I didn't realize she was going to be here that long, that's all.”

“Neither did I.” Evie flipped on the porch light. “But we had fun. You never let me braid your hair.”

“There wasn't enough to braid,” Cody shot back. “You cut it once a month, remember?”

“You should have called. I would have helped you entertain Lily.” Raine patted her belly as she slid onto the bench of the picnic table. “I could use the practice.”

Evie sat down on the other side. “Okay, what's going on? Don't keep me in suspense.”

“John came over a little while ago and told me there's an opening at the lumberyard. I can start on Monday, and he's even willing to work around my schedule when I start classes at the Tech in the fall.”

“Will you be working in the office?”

Cody laughed. “Gosh, I hope not, Mom. John said depending on how fast I get the hang of things, he'll teach me to drive the forklift.”

He made it sound like that was a good thing.

“Raine and I have been praying that God would provide a job, and this one is perfect. It will cover the rent and it's like a free gym membership.” Cody flexed his arm. “I have to get in shape if I want to pass the test at the end of the training program.”

“That is great news, Cody.”

Evie knew about the couple's five-year plan. At his high school commencement ceremony, Cody had received the memorial scholarship set up in Max's honor for a senior pursuing a career as a firefighter. If they were careful, they could live on the funds Evie had set aside for college and the income Cody would earn from a part-time job. Raine planned to stay home with the baby and start her degree program online, a few classes at a time.

“But wait, there's more.” Cody bumped Raine's shoulder. “Now it's your turn.”

“Cody talked me into signing up for an online creative writing class. I got an e-mail from the professor and I've been accepted, but
the downside is that it doesn't start until September. I'd like to get a job too, but I don't think anyone will hire me when they find out I'll only be able to work until the baby is born.”

“That's okay.” Cody gave Raine's ponytail a playful tug. “Taking care of me and Diva is a full-time job, isn't it, Mom?
Mom?
”

Evie realized that was her cue to laugh, but she smiled at Raine instead. “I think I might know someone.”

“Someone . . .” Cody waited for Evie to fill in the blank.

“Who will hire Raine.”

Raine's spoon hit the table, spraying bits of blue ice cream and sprinkles everywhere. “Really?”

“If you meant what you said about needing the practice.”

C
HAPTER
20

O
n Monday morning Evie knocked on the door of the custodian's room. When there was no response, she eased it open.

“Jack?”

Lily sat at the table by the window, drawing on a piece of yellow construction paper.

Just as she'd suspected, Jack had had to bring his niece to work.

A smile swept the worried look from Lily's pearl-gray eyes as Evie walked in, followed by Raine.

“Hi!” Lily glanced at Raine, and Evie was thrilled when the girl's smile grew even wider. “I remember you. You painted the butterfly on my cheek! Uncle Jack made me wash it off before I went to bed though.”

“I can do another one,” Raine offered.

“Really?” Lily hopped down from the chair. “When?”

“First we have to talk to your Uncle Jack.” Evie felt an unexpected surge of emotion when she saw the lopsided lavender bow tied around Lily's ponytail. “Do you know where he is?”

“He's right here.”

Jack stood in the doorway behind them, and the guarded look on his face wasn't exactly encouraging.

Evie suddenly began to doubt the wisdom in her plan. “Can we talk a minute?”

Jack flicked a glance at Raine and nodded. “Sure.”

“I'll take Lily outside.” Raine took the little girl by the hand, and the two of them skipped down the hall together.

“I thought you might have to bring Lily to work with you this morning.”

“I didn't know what else to do.” Jack shoved his hands into his front pockets. “I'm probably breaking a few rules, but there wasn't time to make other arrangements.”