Dakota Love (20 page)

The wipers squeaked across the windshield as they swatted the snow from the center, leaving it packed at the bottom and sides of the glass as they cycled back and forth. The deepening snow pulled at Rodney’s pickup tires, and as he had suspected, the rapidly falling snow created visibility problems once they left the city limits.

“Mark said you found out the story of this quilt.”

Rodney, fighting the urge to look at Caroline, remained focused on the road since he was pushing their luck doing fifty in these weather conditions. “More like we found out a story about the quilt.”

“Was it the quilt in the picture your aunt sent?”

“No,” Rodney said with a slight shake of his head. “But the picture did help us figure it out.”

“So there was another clue in the picture?”

Out of the corner of his eye, Rodney saw Caroline unfold the quilt and tuck it around her legs.

“Are you cold?” Rodney reached to adjust the heat.

“No, your quilt brings me comfort, and right now I need that.”

She just gave him the perfect opening. He wished he could look at her, but the weather situation didn’t permit it. “I hoped I could be the person who brought you comfort.”

A gasp broke through the swish of the wipers on the windshield and the buzz of the heater blower.

“I know, I blew it. You’ll never know how sorry I am that I wasn’t forthcoming about my health issues.” Nerves caused Rodney to speak the words too rapidly.

“Rodney.” Caroline rested her hand on his forearm. “The comfort I need, which your Lily of the Field quilt provides, is the reminder of God’s care. How He loves and provides for His children. ‘Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.’ ”

Relief eased through him. At least his actions hadn’t destroyed her faith.

“Please go on and tell me about this wonderful quilt of yours. I’ve been bursting with curiosity since Mark dropped off the flour sack for you. What was in the picture that gave you a clue? Was someone sewing a block?”

“No, the picture held no information; however, my nephew Caleb did. I guess we should have forwarded the digital pictures to the youngsters in the family, too. We’d have solved the mystery right away.” When Rodney hit a deep pocket of snow, the pickup lurched toward the ditch. He gripped the wheel tight, guiding it back to what he thought was his lane. The county plows hadn’t bladed the road yet.

“So?” Despite her casual conversation, worry filled Caroline’s voice.

She was obviously trying to occupy her mind with something other than the terrible conclusions that worrying caused. He could help with that.

“Well, it seems Caleb was visiting Mom and they took a walk in the nature preserve just outside of town. Halfway through the walk, a thunderstorm blew up. They made a run for a shelter and, once inside, found the quilt lying on the floor. Mom changed her mind and decided they’d use it as a shield from the rain and make it to her car. It’s a good thing they did, because lightning struck a tree that then fell and smashed the shelter. Caleb said Mom told him the quilt saved their lives. I guess that’s why she kept it.”

Rodney didn’t look over, but by the rustle of fabric, he could tell Caroline was rubbing her hands over the quilt blocks.

“It’s not an heirloom, then.”

“I’m sure it is for someone, just not for our family.”

“So I guess we know the story about how and why your mom had the quilt, but we don’t know the quilt’s story. Why it was made, I mean.” Caroline sighed.

Rodney lifted his foot from the gas as they passed the business bypass exit for Vermillion. The truck slowed, making braking easier as he made his way through town. At the red light he turned to Caroline. Before she faced whatever situation awaited her at the hospital, he wanted her to know that he loved her and she could count on him. He opened his mouth to speak, but Caroline lifted a gloved finger to his lips to hush him.

“Thank you for keeping my mind occupied on the way to the hospital.” Knowing blue eyes searched his face. “See, Rodney, I do need you in my life, because I love you, too.”

Her declaration of love fortified his heart in ways medicine, surgery, or exercise never could.

Rodney released his grip on their entwined fingers as soon as she saw Jason leaning against a hallway wall, head down. She ran but let her fingers run the length of his hands until their brushed fingertips ended their small embrace.

“Jason.” She held her arms out. He lifted his head, then wiped his forefinger across his eyes before moving into her arms.

“Oh Mom,” he whispered.

He laid his head against her shoulder just as he’d done so many times in his life. She stroked his hair and kissed the top of his head.

“How’s Angela?” She rested her cheek against his head.

“Scared but okay.” His words were muffled as they bounced off her parka.

“What happened?” Caroline pushed on Jason’s shoulders. He eased back. Caroline placed her palms on his cheeks, stroking her thumbs back and forth to wipe away the tears, leaving her own tears to trickle freely down her face.

“Her back’s hurt all day. Then all of a sudden she had intense shooting pains in her abdomen. That’s when we came to the hospital.” He covered Caroline’s hands with his, removing them from his face but holding them tightly between them. “I guess she’d been in labor all day. We just didn’t know.”

“And…”

“And your granddaughter was born about twenty minutes ago. Angela was dilated to ten centimeters when they examined her, so they broke her water and she delivered the baby.”

“Why didn’t you call me?” Caroline changed their hand positions. This time it was her doing the squeezing from excitement. “I’m a grandma.”

“I knew you’d be on the road, and I didn’t want you answering the phone while driving.”

Caroline pulled Jason into a tight hug. “I’m so happy for you. I mistook your tears of joy.”

Jason pushed free and took her hands in his. “My tears weren’t tears of joy.”

“Does something about being a father scare you?” She searched his face for a sign.

He shook his head and lowered his eyes. When he lifted them to meet hers, dampness glazed them. “No, I’m mad that my daughter doesn’t have a Grandpa Baker.”

It’s a good thing she had ahold of Jason, because his admission knocked the wind out of her.

“Remember how I accused you of being mad at Dad for dying?”

Caroline nodded her head but remained silent.

“Well, I’m the one mad at him. He died too soon. How could he do that to us? He’s missing everything. Everything. I managed to keep that anger under control until you started to move on, build a career, and see other people.” Jason’s eyes moved to a spot over her right shoulder. She braced for the worst, but instead he looked back at her. “When you put his pictures back out, I knew you’d moved on but I hadn’t, so the anger turned to rage. I guess I lashed out at everyone for something that no one can control, not even Dad.” Jason stopped.

“Jason, you should have said something sooner.”

“I’m so glad you came.” Jason pulled her into a hug. “I worried that you wouldn’t.”

Caroline savored the moment with her son before she pushed him to arm’s length. “Jason, I will always be there for you. That’s one reason I started my own quilt business. I can adjust my schedule for babysitting.” They’d experienced sadness and anger. It was time to let joy sneak back into their hearts.

Caroline laughed at the lightbulb-just-switched-on look on Jason’s face. He laughed, too.

“You’re a father.” She squeezed his hand. “I’m a grandma. Rodney.” Caroline twisted her neck to see over her shoulder. “I’m a grandma.”

“I heard.” Rodney joined them and pulled Caroline into a side hug. She laid her head on his shoulder. He offered his hand to Jason.

“Congratulations.”

Jason’s eyes lowered to Rodney’s hand; then he looked at Caroline. She hoped her eyes conveyed her message to her son. She watched as his eyes moved to Rodney’s.

“I’m sorry for everything I said and the way I acted.” He grasped Rodney’s hand. “Thank you for coming with Mom. You’re taking good care of her, I can tell. Please forgive me?”

“Bygones are bygones.”

“Can we see Angela and the baby yet?”

“Sure.”

Rodney released Caroline’s shoulder. “I’ll be in the waiting room. Take as much time as you need.” He smoothed a stray ringlet behind her ear.

“Aren’t you coming, too?” Jason asked.

Caroline’s chest burst with pride. She slipped one hand in Jason’s and the other in Rodney’s as they walked down the hall.

Angela looked up from marveling at her newborn daughter and smiled at the chain of people that walked into her room.

Jason gingerly lifted the pink bundle from her arms. “Mom, meet your granddaughter, Brooklyn Mya.” Caroline knew her face reflected the same love that Jason’s radiated as she looked from her “baby” to the new addition to her family. She gathered their bundle of joy from Jason with practiced ease.

Rodney stood to her side and peered over Brooklyn’s head. “She’s so tiny.” He reached to touch her but pulled his hand back.

Joy bubbled through Caroline, and she laughed. “You can touch her. She won’t break, you know.”

Rodney stepped around Caroline and brushed the backs of his fingers on Brooklyn’s face. She grunted. He jerked his hand away. “Did I hurt her?” Concern filled his eyes.

“No.” Caroline shook her head, then rocked back and forth sideways.

A flush crawled up his neck and colored his cheeks. He turned to Jason and Angela. “I don’t have much, well, any experience with this.”

Caroline noticed Angela blinking her heavy eyelids, tired from childbirth. Caroline bent and kissed the top of her granddaughter’s head, then handed her back to Jason.

“Are you leaving?”

“Just for a while.” Caroline nodded to Angela. “Someone needs her rest.” She walked to the bed, then took Angela’s hand in hers. “Thank you for the beautiful granddaughter. You rest now.” She straightened. “We’ll be in the waiting room.”

Rodney twisted the cap from the bottle of water he bought Caroline from the vending machine and handed it to her.

She sat on the edge of a waiting room chair.

She pulled a long drink from it, thirstier than she thought. Rodney sat beside her, lifted her hand, and clasped it between his. His eyes conveyed the message. She knew what he was about to say.

“I love you, Caroline.”

She might have known what he was going to say, but she wasn’t prepared for the response it evoked within her—overwhelming happiness threaded into every cell of her body.

“I don’t want to cause you further worry, but I can’t guarantee I won’t have future health issues.”

“I know that now. And I can’t promise you I won’t worry from time to time, but I’ll try to keep it to the events of the day.”

Rodney put his arm around her and eased her back into the chair cushion. She rested her head on his shoulder.

“This is a much better reason to be at the hospital than our last trip,” Rodney said.

“Yes, it is,” Caroline agreed.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t the EMTs call you Mrs. Harris?”

“Yes.” Caroline giggled at the memory.

“How’d you feel about that?”

Caroline rose up and palmed Rodney’s cheek. “Truthfully, I kind of liked it.”

Rodney slid her hand to his shoulder, leaned close, and pressed his lips to hers, not once but three times.

“Me, too,” he whispered and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, squeezing her closer.

She rested her head back on his shoulder. Contentment washed through her. She’d worried all those months for nothing. Just like the lilies of the field, God took care of her. His plans for her future were better than any she could have imagined.

I
s my girl ready?”

Rodney’s voice boomed through the closed door, causing six-month-old Brooklyn to kick her legs, making the buckling of the small patent leather shoes a harder task. She cooed and stretched her arms toward the door.

“Which one?” Caroline called back and smiled at her granddaughter’s reaction to Rodney’s voice. She managed to tuck the small trap through the buckle. Angela stood Brooklyn on her lap while Caroline adjusted the quilted yoke of the small dress before she pulled the white satin skirt into place.