A Brush of Wings (15 page)

She was a mother.

When Mary Catherine was done feeding him, she handed him back to the local woman. Lunch was over for the students also. Time to get back in the classroom. She was headed to the closet for the math workbooks when she practically ran into a pale-skinned woman with red-gold hair like her own.

“Sorry.” Mary Catherine stepped back. “Are you . . . ?”

“Ember.” The woman reached out her hand. “Yes. I just got in.”

“Wonderful.” Mary Catherine looked out the nearest window. There wasn’t a car in sight, and already the gate to the facility was closed and locked again. Ember’s driver must’ve left quickly. “Welcome.” She shook the woman’s hand, and then gave her a hug. “We’ll be sharing a hut. Might as well be friends.”

“Exactly.” Ember laughed. “Everyone says you’re the best thing to happen to this village.”

Her London accent was as pretty as her face. And her eyes . . . a mix of blue and green and hazel. Mary Catherine hadn’t seen anything like them. “Do you have bags?”

“Yes. By the door.” She looked over her shoulder. “I’ll get them later. I don’t want to interfere with the schedule.”

Mary Catherine nodded. What was it about the woman? She seemed different, somehow. Maybe because she was European. “Follow me. You can meet the children.” She smiled at Ember. “We’re doing math next.”

“I prefer art.” Ember grinned. “But there’s no art without math. At least that’s what I’ve heard.”

For a moment Mary Catherine stopped and stared at Ember. “Have you noticed . . . ?”

“We look alike?” She laughed again, and the sound was as carefree as a summer breeze. “Absolutely. The man who drove me from the airport said that. Asked if we were sisters.”

“Yes.” Mary Catherine hesitated. “The kids will probably think so, too.”

They grabbed the stacks of workbooks and took them to the classroom. The children were back in their seats, giggling and talking. The minute Mary Catherine and Ember walked into the room, they stopped and stared. Bacia was the first to say something. She pointed. “Miss Kat . . . your sister?”

Mary Catherine shared a look with Ember and allowed a quick laugh. “No, dear. Ember is our newest teacher. She’ll work with me in the classroom.”

“But she is your sister, yes?” Bacia clearly spoke for the other children, all of whom looked delighted and confused at the same time. Bacia pointed again. “She has your hair.”

It took five minutes for the conversation to let up.

They couldn’t delay math any longer, so Mary Catherine launched into a lesson on addition and subtraction. The children had already studied both subjects. Now they were ready to combine the ideas. Another hour flew by and only then did Mary Catherine realize she was struggling to breathe. Again.

Ember seemed to notice before anyone else. She came alongside Mary Catherine. “Step outside.” She nodded, her expression capable. “I have this.”

Not until Mary Catherine was back outside, leaning against the same wall, forcing herself to relax did a question occur to her. Was her struggle to breathe that obvious? Already the new teacher seemed to notice. The reality made Mary Catherine relax a little quicker this time.

She had a feeling Ember was going to become a very good friend.

11

T
YLER HAD ASKED SAMI
to bring a nice outfit for dinner. So after the game, the two of them changed clothes, and Tyler took Sami to the Mark Hopkins Hotel at 1 Nob Hill—a spot he’d scouted last time he was here. They rode the elevator to the nineteenth floor and he led her to a secluded restaurant called Top of the Mark. The maître d’ was expecting them.

“A special night, Mr. Ames. Miss.” The maître d’ grinned.

“Yes, it is.” Tyler smiled at Sami. He loved her so much.

“Very well.” The man nodded. Then in no particular rush, he took them to their table alongside a floor-to-ceiling window with panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay. He handed them their menus. “Enjoy.”

So far the night was like something Tyler’s heart had scripted the first time he and Sami walked on the beach, after they’d found each other again. Back then he had dreamed that one day they might have a night like this.

And now it was playing out just as he had prayed it might.

They ate filet mignon and grilled salmon and after the waiter cleared their plates they laughed about how young they’d been when Tyler first knocked on her grandparents’ door—just a ten-minute drive from here. “I thought you lived in a palace.” Tyler reached across the table and took her hands. “And you were the princess.”

She eased her fingers around his. “You were the best thing about that summer.” Her eyes lit up. “Cutest boy I’d ever seen.”

“I definitely couldn’t focus on my summer league games.” He angled his head, seeing all the way to her soul. “Knowing you were back at your grandparents’ house.”

A comfortable quiet filled the space between them, but never once did they look away. Tyler thought about his mistakes, the decision to pass up the UCLA scholarship and ride out a few terrible seasons in the minor leagues. He had walked out of her life and become someone he didn’t recognize.

Not until he was homeless, out of baseball, and working at the retirement center in Florida did Tyler see Sami again. And then he was too embarrassed to really talk to her. If it hadn’t been for dear old Virginia and her words about forgiveness and grace, Tyler might never have believed he could have a second chance.

He looked out the window.
Only You could’ve done this, God . . . given me this girl again after all the heartache I put her through.

“Tyler.” She giggled. “So serious.”

“Sorry.” He turned to her and found his smile again. “I guess I still can’t believe I’m here with you. That you’re really mine.”

Her expression became deeper. “God moved heaven and Earth to make it happen.” She smiled. “At least it feels that way.”

“It does.” He paid the bill and then took her hand again. “You ready?”

“What?” She laughed. “There’s more?”

“Definitely.” He stood and helped her to her feet. “I want to take you somewhere.”

She looked out the window. “You just did.” Her eyes found his. “This place is amazing. I’ve never been anywhere like it.”

“Me, either.” He paused. “Still . . . ” He held her hand as they started walking toward the exit. “I have a feeling our next stop will be your favorite.”

“As long as I’m with you.” Sami stayed close by his side while the valet found Tyler’s rental car. “This has already been the best night ever.”

Tyler smiled, anything to hide his racing heart. He sure hoped it was her best night ever. He had a lot riding on the next few hours. Not just the success of the night.

But his entire future.

AFTER THE ROSES
at the airport and the intimate dinner on Nob Hill, Sami had no idea how Tyler could top the evening. It was just after ten o’clock as they set out and after a few minutes she knew where they were headed.

When he pulled into the driveway of her grandparents’ Bay Area house, Sami drew a quick breath and turned to him. “What’s this?”

“They’re not here. I called them.” He grinned, thankful she couldn’t see the way his knees trembled. “They said it was okay if we stopped by.”

“I can’t believe this.” Sami let the reality wash over her.

The last time she and Tyler were here they were seventeen, with an ocean of uncertainty ahead. Sami had lived with her grandparents since she was five, the year her parents died in a motorcycle accident. Her grandpa had been part owner of the Giants for many years, so he and Sami’s grandma owned a house here and a second one in the San Fernando Valley.

Not far from where Tyler had been a star high school baseball pitcher.

But they never would’ve met at all if it weren’t for that San Francisco summer. That year her grandparents signed up to host a summer league baseball player. Tyler was assigned to them.

The night was getting later. They parked and Tyler hurried around to open her door. He helped her out and then slowly took her in his arms. “I had to bring you here.” The moon shone in her eyes. “Where it all began.”

They hugged for a long time and then together they faced the stunning house. “So many memories.” Sami breathed in the smell of the fir trees that surrounded her grandparents’ estate. The place was beautiful. Sami had almost forgotten how much so. “You planned this?”

Tyler shrugged. His voice held a sense of mischief and anticipation. “Maybe.” He bent down and picked up a small piece of paper from the ground. Only as soon as he held it to her in the palm of his hand, Sami could see she was wrong. It wasn’t paper.

It was a rose petal. She looked down and saw something she had missed until now. A path of rose petals formed a walkway from where they stood to somewhere behind the house. Her heart skipped a beat. “Tyler . . . what is this?”

He smiled, watching her, like he was lost in her eyes. “Let’s follow it and see.”

Whatever was happening, Tyler had planned this all day. “You weren’t at a meeting this morning.”

“Not for long, anyway.” He chuckled and slipped his fingers between hers. “Follow me.”

On a path of white rose petals? Sami felt giddy, her heart racing. Where was all this leading? She was wearing her nicest heels, but she wasn’t worried. The path was paved. They set out along the flowers. “This must’ve taken you all day.” She looked up at him as they walked.

“You’re worth it.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

They followed the petals around the house to a small table covered in lace and topped with five pillar candles—the setting was beautiful.

In the flickering soft glow, Sami could easily see a photo book at the center of the table. On the cover, the picture Sami kept in her memory at all times.

A picture of Tyler and her, seventeen and in love.

Her grandmother had taken the photo right here on the front porch of this very house. It was the afternoon Tyler said goodbye and returned home. Sami had kept that picture on the desk near her bed until Tyler’s second year in the minors.

When she had no choice but to take it down.

Even then the photograph had stayed in her heart, where it would always stay. And now it was on the cover of this photo book. She felt the sting of tears and at the same time she laughed, too amazed to speak until now. Sami turned to him. “You made this for me?”

“Open it.” Tyler put his arm around her and together they looked through the pictures. On each page, Tyler had written a message telling her how he felt about the photograph and the time it represented.

There was Sami in the stands at one of his high school baseball games and Tyler had written,
You were always there, win or lose. No one ever believed in me more.

And then a picture of him at her choir concert.
I never saw anyone but you that night, never heard any voice but yours. The songs seemed like they were for me alone.
And there they were at the beach and bowling with friends.
You made everyone feel special and included. You have that gift, Sami. Every time we’re with friends it’s like the best time ever. Because of you.

There were a few pictures from a day at Disneyland.
Talk about a magical day! I remember sitting behind you on the Matterhorn and thinking how that roller coaster was nothing to the thrill I felt just being with you.

And then there was a photo that still made Sami ache to look at it—the picture taken when Tyler was getting on the bus headed for his first week in the minor leagues.
Worst day of my life. I never should’ve left you. If I had it to do over again, I never would have.

On the next page Tyler had written “2010–2014” at the top. There were no pictures. And of course. Those were the years when she thought she’d never see Tyler again, when he had walked away from her and his family and made choices that nearly destroyed him. Over that time period Tyler had simply written her a message. Long and detailed. She glanced over it, her eyes skipping to the last line.
I’ll always be sorry.

“You can read it later.” He ran his hand along her arm. “It’s getting cold.”