Misconceptions Page 10

  ”Mom had been saving money to pay for a routine mammogram. Breast cancer runs in her family, and she wanted to take good care of herself. She almost had enough to pay for one when she discovered that the jar she’d been saving the money in was empty. Dad had found the money and blew it all on several benders.”

  Becky sank into a chair at the kitchen table, but didn’t interrupt.

  “Then Dad found God. Eventually Mom had the test, but by then it was too late. She already had stage-four breast cancer. From there she went downhill fast and died a painful death. All because Dad chose alcohol over his family.” He couldn’t manage to say the last sentence without a heavy dose of bitterness.

  The sound of tires on the stone driveway alerted them to guests arriving. Becky wrapped her arms around Houston. “Can we finish this discussion later?”

  He nodded. “I don’t like when we fight, honey, especially about my dad.”

  “I know, but this has to be resolved once and for all.” She stepped back. “Did you remember Cindy wanted you to talk with Travis?”

  “I’m planning on it. Sounds like my brother-in-law needs a little friendly advice.” He placed a quick kiss on her cheek.

  “Maybe he just needs another man to talk to. Cindy said he hasn’t been himself for several weeks.” She caressed his arm. “I’m sorry to dump so much on you right before everyone gets here.”

  She had no idea just how much that was. She didn’t know what it was like to grow up with an alcoholic for a father. He couldn’t even count how many times he’d made excuses for his father’s drunken behavior.

  His mother had begged him on her death bed to forgive his dad and accept Christ as his Savior, but he couldn’t do either. He did vow that if he ever married, he would cherish his wife and kids. He let out a short sigh and kissed Becky again. “Let’s just let it go for now. Okay?”

  “Agreed.”

  He opened the front door. His nieces, Megan and Audrey, rushed ahead of their parents while Cindy and Travis unbuckled the boys from their car seats. Becky greeted the kids and directed them to the porch to play with the litter of kittens they found in their barn earlier in the week.

  ***

  As Travis unbuckled Max from his car seat, children’s laughter filled his ears. If only his life could be as carefree as a child’s. Instead of being laden with financial burdens, his primary concern would be whether he'd get seconds of dessert.

  He allowed his thoughts to mentally log the list of problems he wouldn’t have to deal with if he were a child. Topping the list was that no new business had come his way. It was if there were a sign posted outside his office that read “closed to new business.” He’d made no progress on repaying his loans from Vinnie.

  “Did you remember to grab Dad’s gift?”

  Cindy’s voice pulled him back. She hadn’t said a word on the entire trip over here.

  “It’s in the boys’ bag.” He straightened as he pulled a backpack loaded with all of the kids’ supplies for the day out of the back. “Are we on speaking terms now?” He didn’t disguise the sarcasm in his voice.

  “That depends.” She reached for the casserole.

  He resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Always some condition with her. “On what?”

  “Are you going to leave me here and go into work?” She placed the casserole she’d brought on the roof of the Land Rover and grabbed the cooler filled with water bottles. “Angie might need you.” It was her turn for sarcasm.

  He slung the backpack over his shoulder and slammed the door. “It’s Angelica, and I’ve told you a hundred times that hiring her had nothing to do with her looks.” He stared at the ground. “She’s an excellent accountant, and she’s a lot cheaper than Scott.”

  She didn't resist rolling her eyes. “You can say that again.”

  “Can we talk about this later?” Or never. He had a hard enough time setting aside his attraction to Angelica at work—especially when she made no secret that she would welcome his attention.

  Cindy turned her back on him and stormed into the house, arms loaded with the casserole and cooler. She wouldn’t accept his help even if he offered; she needed time to cool off. Would things between them ever return to normal?

  “Hey, Travis. Got a minute?” Houston leaned against the door frame.

  “Sure, let me put this inside.”

  Houston followed him as he made his way into the house, let Cindy know where he’d be, and agreed to keep an eye on the kids while he talked with Houston. At least she was talking to him in front of the family.

  Travis waved toward the back door, and Houston followed him outside where the kids gathered around some kittens. “Looks like the kids are having fun. What’d you want to talk about?”

  “Are you in some kind of trouble, Travis?”

  His heart skipped a beat. Did he know about Vinnie? How could he? Did the police have a man on Vinnie’s payroll who told his brother-in-law about their business deal? “What do you mean?”

  “Exactly what it sounds like. What’s eating at you?”

  He shrugged. “Just some stress at work. I think I’m through the worst of it, though.”

  “Anything I can help you with?” He took a step toward Travis. “Cindy told Becky she’s worried about you. If you need some help, I hope you know you can come to me.”

  He looked past Houston to the kids. “Cindy has blown things out of proportion. Everything’s under control. Thanks for the offer, though.” He folded his arms across his chest. If only he could confide in Houston. But involving the police would be a disaster. He’d just have to avoid him until he could get out of the business deal with Vinnie. “C’mon, kids. Let’s go play in the barn while they get all the food ready.”

  Houston snagged him by the arm. “You’re not by any chance involved with Vinnie Fernandez, are you?”

  Chapter Sixteen

  Dominique stared out the window of Joe’s Ford Mustang and repeatedly clicked her handbag opened and closed. Even though she looked forward to spending the day with Joe, asking to meet his father might prove to be a big mistake. He was bound to be a male version of her own mother. Was she ready for piercing, judgmental eyes to stare straight into her soul? It would be reminiscent of the Scripture her mother had pounded into her head: You have been judged and weighed and found wanting. No matter what she did, it was never good enough. She would never be able to gain her mother’s approval, or the Lord’s.

  “Are you nervous?”

  Joe’s question jolted her out of her fretting. “A little.”

  “Well, you’ve already met everybody but the kids and Dad.” He raised his eyebrows.

  “You’re not scared of my nieces and nephews, are you?”

  She let out a laugh. “If you must know, I’m a little scared to meet your dad.”

  “I thought you wanted to meet him. Actually, I was hoping maybe you could give our family a little professional input.”

  This could be trouble. She licked her lips. “What kind of input?”

  He took a deep breath. “The hospital thinks my dad is in the beginning stages of dementia, and they want to medicate him and put him in a nursing facility. Unless we agree to their treatment plan, he can’t be re-admitted. We’re just looking for fresh ideas or information on a nice facility. Anything you can suggest would be appreciated.”

  Things had gone too far, she had to tell him. She couldn’t let him go on thinking she was a social worker. Confession is good for the soul, her mother always said. “Joe, we need to talk.”

  He pulled the Mustang into a long driveway and parked behind several other vehicles. “Here we are. Looks like we’re the last to arrive. Please don’t be nervous about meeting Dad; he’s going to love you.”

  “There’s something I really need to talk with you about first. Can we drive around a little before we go in?” She hoped he would pick up on her insistent tone.

  “We’re already here. Why don’t we go for a walk after dinner? Will it wait until
then?”

  Her instincts screamed at her to get everything out in the open immediately. But what if he told her to leave before she had a chance to speak with his dad? She nodded slowly. Maybe it was for the best. “Sure. We can do that.” But a pit opened in her stomach and wouldn’t go away. She was losing her edge. In the past assignments, she’d been forced to lie and con her way through in order to get a story. Not once had it ever bothered her. Until now.

  Joe gave her hand a light squeeze. “Just be yourself, Dominique. You’re an amazing woman.”

  Shivers ran up her arms when she met his gaze. Desire filled his eyes. He brushed a stray hair from her face. He was going to kiss her, she just knew it.

  Pounding on the driver’s side window shattered the romantic moment. Houston peered in through the closed window, a huge grin on his face. “Come on, Joe, you’ll have plenty of time for that later. I need your help on the grill.”

  Heat crept up Dominique’s face. The last time she’d felt like this, she’d been an awkward teenager caught making out behind the bleachers at the football game.

  “Do you have any brothers, Dominique?”

  His question brought a smile to her face. “As a matter of fact, I don’t. I’m an only child.”

  “You’re lucky.” Joe lowered the window and called out to Houston’s retreating form, “I’ll be right in, give me a minute.” His eyes met hers once again. “After dinner, we can pick up where we left off.”

  “I’d like that.” She willed her heart to slow down. Did he mean the conversation or the kiss? She would just have to wait and find out.

  “You ready to meet my dad?”

  His question brought her back into the present. “Yes. Of course. Do you need help with anything?”

  “No, I think I have it covered. I’ll take you into the house and introduce you to Dad, then help Houston on the grill. I’ll be out on the deck if you need me.”

  On the way into the house, Joe took her hand again, and she couldn’t contain her smile. “I’m sure I’ll get along just fine with your dad. I don’t know why I was so nervous.”

  But she knew exactly why she was nervous. She experienced nausea and jitters each time she was on the brink of breaking a story wide open. Meeting the man who held such an intriguing theory was an incredible opportunity. What if it were true? Yet, she regretted living a lie. What if this insightful man exposed all of her deep, dark secrets? Once Joe knew the truth, he’d want nothing to do with her. She would be alone … again.

  She followed Joe into the house and greeted his family. As they walked into the living room, she was completely taken aback by the man who sat in the brown leather recliner. Instead of the overbearing, staunch gentleman she’d anticipated, Samuel Armstrong was a kind-looking, frail older man. The left side of his mouth tilted down, and the whole left side of his body seemed to droop, evidence of the stroke Joe said he’d experienced a couple of weeks ago. But his light blue eyes held a gentleness that instantly put her at ease, and she offered her him a genuine smile.

  His left arm hung awkwardly, but Samuel pointed a finger at her with his good hand. “I know you! I’ve seen you on TV.” His words slurred a bit as he spoke.

  Her eyebrows shot up. He’d recognized her!

  Joe rested his hand on the small of her back. “I think you may have Dominique confused with someone else, Dad.” He turned to her. “He watches a lot of television since being in the hospital. Dad, Dominique works with me in the hospital as a social worker.”

  Samuel scratched his head. “Well, I’ll be. You look just’ like this news reporter. She’s from Georgia, or Florida, or somewhere down south. Wherever she’s from, she’s your identical twin. Now what was her name?”

  The slight slur tempted her to write off his words as those of a drunkard, but her heart still leaped into her throat. He knew. She needed to talk with Joe immediately. She tugged on his sleeve and whispered, “I need to speak with you in private.”

  Before he could respond, his cell phone rang. He retrieved it and checked to see who it was. “I’m sorry, Dominique, I have to answer this call. I’ll be right back.”

  She sat in the overstuffed chair next to Samuel. How could she start a conversation on the pregnancy crisis and his prayer without seeming awkward? How could she lie to this gentle, God-fearing man?

  You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free. The verse she had memorized as a child challenged her to confide the truth to him.

  Samuel’s eyes met hers. “I’m right aren’t I, Miss Sherwood?” he whispered. “You’re not a social worker, you’re a reporter.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Houston flipped the burger on the grill while keeping an eye on Joe, who was introducing Dominique to the kids. Had he noticed tension between Cindy and Travis? Travis had been spending a lot of time at work. Maybe that was the source of the problem. Family should always come first.

  Joe joined him at the grill and gave him a slight punch in the arm. “Didn’t need my help after all?”

  He laughed. “Sorry to interrupt you and Dominique. I did need—”

  “There you are, Joe.” Becky handed Houston an extra pair of tongs. “Do you have a minute?”

  Joe looked back and forth between Houston and Becky. “Are you two up to something? It feels like you’re conspiring against me.”

  “This is a little awkward.” She glanced at her husband. “Houston tells me he interfered on a private moment between you and Dominique.”

  Houston held both hands in the air, spatula and all. “Leave me out of this.”

  She tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “Fair enough.” She turned her attention back to Joe. “I noticed you were holding Dominique’s hand on the way in.”

  “Guilty as charged.” Joe smiled.

  “She is a beautiful woman and seems very sweet.” Becky lowered her voice. “But do you know if she shares your faith?”

  Houston tightened his grip on the spatula, and the muscle in his right cheek twitched. “Maybe he doesn’t feel as strongly about the subject as you do.”

  “He does. Or at least I hope he does.” She raised an eyebrow.

  Joe ran his hand along the back of his neck. “Becky’s right, Houston. I’m not certain where Dominique stands.”

  Houston focused on the grill, but couldn’t hold back his opinion. “She seems nice enough to me. I don’t see what the problem is.”

  Becky squeezed Joe’s arm and pointed to a couple of chairs by the grill. “I know Houston thinks it’s none of my business, but I didn’t know if you had talked with anyone.”

  Joe sat on a lounge chair. “I know what the Bible says on the subject. What’s confusing is the relationship you and Houston have. It’s not like it can’t be done.”

  “I became a Christian after we married. He’s a wonderful husband, but I think if you asked him, he’d tell you our religious differences have caused difficulties.”

  Houston put the burgers on the platter and turned his attention to the hotdogs. He seemed to be looking anywhere but in their direction.

  Joe stood. “Think I’ll see how Dominique and Dad are getting along.”

  “Is that a subtle way of telling me to mind my own business?” Becky laughed.

  “I know what you’re saying, Becky. It’s just one of those things that’s easier said than done.”

  Megan rushed up to the patio. The hair had come loose from her French braid, and her face had smudges of dirt on it. She gasped to catch her breath. “Audrey fell from the hayloft and won’t wake up. Daddy said to come and get you, Uncle Joe.”

  Houston reached for his cell phone. “I’ll call 911.”

  “I’ll grab my bag and meet you down there!”

  After being assured an ambulance was on its way, Houston ran over the hill toward the barn. Becky trailed behind him, carrying an icepack and some towels from the kitchen. He picked up his pace when he passed over the ridge and could see the barn ahead.

  He raced through t
he door and stopped short at the sight in front of him. His beautiful niece, Audrey, lay on the ground, completely lifeless, her face and lips ashen. Travis was bent over her, desperately trying to breathe life back into his daughter.

  Houston rushed forward and placed a hand on Travis’s shoulder. “Becky and I will take over. I called for an ambulance; they’ll be here shortly.”

  Travis stared off into the distance. All color had drained from his face. Houston had seen that look countless times before—when he told parents their child was gone, a life cut short by some senseless accident.

  He checked for a pulse.

  Nothing.

  Despite his earlier claim that he possessed no faith, he silently cried out, Help us, God!

  Chapter Eighteen

  Dominique pulled a bag of chips from the top of the refrigerator and put a generous amount on each of the two plates that already held sandwiches, then rejoined Samuel in the living room. “The boys finished their lunch and I put them down for a nap. Do you think you could eat a little something?” She tried to keep her tone light.

  “Any news yet?” Concern filled Samuel’s eyes.

  “Joe said they got a faint heartbeat on the way to the hospital. I’m sure he’ll call as soon as there’s another update.” She placed the plates next to the coffee on the side table and sat down beside him.

  “Will you join me?” He bent his head in silent prayer.

  She waited until he finished before speaking. “Do you want me to tell you why I’m posing as a social worker?”

  “I am a little curious.”

  “Well, to begin with, I want you to know I would never intentionally hurt Joe. I’ve grown quite fond of him.” She took a bite of her sandwich.

  “I can tell you care for him.” He wiped his mouth with the paper napkin. “Why not tell him the truth?”

  She abandoned her sandwich. “It’s complicated. Although I did try earlier today.” She picked up her mug and took a sip of coffee. “As you know, I work for a television station in Florida. After the birthrate dropped, I was assigned to cover the story. It didn’t take me long to notice that in certain areas of the country, the birthrate hadn’t dropped nearly as much as for the rest of the country. Most of the cities are in the Bible belt, but this area is in the top five. My manager sent me here and another reporter to California.” Dominique shifted in her seat. “My responsibility is to collect demographics of the women having babies and then connect the dots to see what they have in common.”