Mixed Blessings. Cathy Marie Hake

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      Marie took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and remembered how shocked and angry she’d been when she discovered the awful truth. Peter Hallock probably felt just as appalled.

      “At least stay for the weekend.”

      The lump in her throat worsened. The anguish in his eyes nearly took her breath away. She empathized. From the moment she’d discovered her son was elsewhere, she’d hungered to hold him. Peter Hallock clearly felt that same longing to be with his son. Her son. She said very quietly, “I can’t stay.”

      “You can’t mean to dash off!”

      Marie pulled a slip of paper from her pocket and extended her hand. “I’ve written my address and phone number down for you. Here. You can reach me anytime. My business number is there, too.”

      Peter took the paper and barely glanced at it before slipping it into the pocket of his slacks. “Stay for lunch. We’ll come up with plans. We have to do something. I don’t want you to leave.”

      “Ricky and I will have lunch with you and Luke.” She looked at her son—her biological son—and whispered, “I didn’t know it was going to be this hard.”

      The housekeeper’s arrival cut short Peter’s response. The aproned woman pushed in an elegant, inlaid wood tea cart laden with four china plates and beverages. She proceeded to set the small trestle table over by the window with linen napkins. Marie thought she must be hallucinating. It looked like someone had clipped this scene straight from a soap opera. She glanced at Peter and Luke. Neither of them paid any attention to the housekeeper.

      Marie gulped. A very ordinary woman who lived an average middle-class life, she knew she was in way over her head.

      Peter nudged Luke toward the table, then plucked Ricky out of Marie’s arms. “We’ll have to get you a booster seat just like Luke’s. Today, you’ll sit on my lap.”

      Marie hesitantly took the seat Peter pulled out for her, then looked at Ricky. He’d curled his fingers around Peter’s collar and grinned up at him, so she couldn’t very well protest, even though her heart twisted at the sight of them together. You knew you’d have to learn to share him. She daintily settled her napkin in her lap, then reached over to take Ricky’s outstretched hand. She cast a wary look at Peter.

      He took Luke’s hand. “Do you normally say grace, too?”

      She nodded. Too. That one word relaxed her a bit. At least they held some common ground. Building bridges between their families would be easier if they shared a foundation of faith.

      Luke and Ricky singsonged, “God is great, God is good…” in a sweet duet, and Peter’s voice quickly blended with them. Marie finally caught up and added, “Amen!”

      Peter’s intense stare made Marie shift in her seat. “What?”

      “If you’re upset about missing church, you can attend ours.”

      She broke eye contact and picked up her sandwich. “I’m so confused.” She put down the sandwich without taking a bite. “I’m torn between needing to stay and needing to go.”

      “Staying is only right. There’s no question. You can’t tease me with one short hour of being with my—” he paused and shot a quick look at Luke, then back at Ricky. His voice vibrated with restrained emotion “—With my flesh and blood, then snatch him away!”

      Despair flooded her. “I care for my sister. She was injured in an accident.”

      He frowned. Marie wasn’t sure whether it was from vexation that she didn’t accede to his wishes at once or concern for Sandy. “How is she managing without you today?”

      “She’s at the rehab facility. One of our church family is picking her up. He’ll keep her company at home until I get there.”

      “Surely he can watch her overnight.”

      Marie winced. “The gentleman involved isn’t exactly versed in giving her the particular type of care she’ll require.”

      “That’s not a problem. We’ll call and arrange for a private nurse to stay with her tonight. You can’t leave.”

      “Mr. Hallock,” she paused and watched as Peter playfully stuck an olive on Ricky’s thumb. Both of their faces lit with glee. Cuddling Ricky closer, Peter grabbed another olive and did the same to Luke. All three of them laughed. If it’s so cute, why do I want to cry?

      Peter looked at her and raised his brows. “What were you going to say?”

      “I know I said it before,” she whispered, “but this is even harder than I thought it was going to be.”

      His smile faded. “We have to work together, Marie…for their sakes.”

      “I know.”

      He shook his head. “It’s so hard to believe. We’ve got a lot to do.” He accepted a carrot from Ricky. “First off, I—”

      “I think,” she interrupted, “we’d be wise to not make any immediate decisions. It’s going to be complicated. Can’t we please have today to just share our sons?”

      “That would be easier if you’d change your plan to flit out of here.”

      She tried to calm down with a sip of iced tea, but it didn’t help. Her hand shook as she set the crystal goblet back down on the table. “Mr. Hallock—”

      “Peter. It seems crazy to be formal when we’re going to be sharing kids.”

      Marie dipped her head in acknowledgment. “Peter, I learned about this a week ago. The first day, I was in shock. You’re that way now. I’m falling apart, and you’re acting like nothing is wrong. In a day or two, the reality will hit you full force.”

      “So you’re dropping a bomb, listening to it tick for a few minutes, then running before it detonates?”

      She granted him a wobbly smile. His words were clever, but the reality hurt too much. Her eyes burned and her nose tingled with suppressed tears.

      “Hey,” he said softly, “I’m sorry. That joke was in poor taste. I think you were incredibly brave to come here. I don’t know what I would have done.”

      “I admit, I’m frazzled. I prayed all of the way here, but my focus was on the boys.” She shrugged. “I’m not ready to think about all of the consequences or plot a future course.”

      “Okay. We’ll just concentrate on the guys today.”

      Marie didn’t eat much. Her nerves were strung too tight. Nothing seemed to fit past the big ball in her throat. By the end of lunch, Luke started rubbing his eyes. Marie looked at Peter. “Would you mind if I tucked him in for his nap?”

      He rubbed his chin on Ricky’s crown. “How ’bout if we let Ricky nap a while, too?”

      “He naps well in his car seat. It might be easier if we slip out while they’re sleepy. If you’re free next weekend, why don’t you and Luke come for СКАЧАТЬ