Finally, she dropped her head in her hands. “Ugh. Luke! Can you be any more mule-headed?” she said out loud. What was so terrible about letting Annie have piano lessons? Nothing. This was all about Luke. Luke and his precious pride.
For the first time in her life, Sarah wished she’d become a psych major in college and not a designer. Maybe then she would know what the heck to do with Luke. Sometimes she just didn’t understand him.
Or maybe it was that she
did
understand him and his motivations, but she didn’t want to face the real truth.
Luke had encircled his heart and his life with chains that he didn’t mind keeping locked and in place. Obviously, he’d grown comfortable in his self-imposed prison. She’d hoped that with the sale of the house he was moving forward with his life, and putting not only his grief behind him, but also his unnatural suspicion that she, in particular, was some kind of psycho child stealer.
Tonight, Luke had shown her that his dark side was still lurking in him somewhere.
Sarah didn’t think she’d been wrong to offer to teach Annie the piano. Even now, knowing Luke’s reaction, she’d still make the offer. At this point, Sarah had to face the fact that she and Luke were going to be neighbors—for a time, anyway—and that was all. She was willing to acknowledge that Luke was still climbing out of his grief. However, she believed he’d come to see her as a real friend over the past weeks. Even Mrs. Beabots had commented that when Sarah was around, Luke smiled more and was less tense. He’d told Mrs. Beabots how much he appreciated all Sarah had done to help during his move. He exuded high praise for her design ideas for the ballroom renovations. Sarah noticed that since the end of their counseling sessions, Luke smiled more, laughed more and generally appeared to be in brighter spirits. The fact that the summer festival and their Ferris wheel ride coincided with the end of their sessions with Margot had not entered her calculations until now.
Maybe Luke’s uplifted outlook had nothing to do with her. Maybe he had progressed to that state of resilience that Margot spoke about, and his transition was simply nature taking its course.
Maybe she and Luke could only be acquaintances.
Annie, on the other hand, might just wind up being the real reason they were all brought together by fate in the first place. Sarah had championed Annie and her talent, and had helped Annie stand up for her passion to sing. Through Sarah’s efforts, Luke had been forced to recognize his daughter’s needs.
Annie had her whole life ahead of her. Luke had his reasons to want to protect his kids and that was fine. But to Sarah, stifling creativity and talent was close to unconscionable.
Sarah looked over at Mrs. Beabots’s house and saw the third-floor lights go on. It was getting late and the kids were undoubtedly on their way to bed.
She didn’t realize she was staring. She saw Luke stop at the window and look over at her. She sat up straight, feeling his eyes on her. She got up and went to the window, so that he could see her.
Luke immediately walked away.
Sarah picked up the phone and dialed Mrs. Beabots. “Hi,” she said. “I thought I’d come over and get Beau.”
“Luke said he’d bring the dog over. Timmy and Annie are getting ready for their baths.”
“Tell him that I know he’s got a lot to do. I’ll come get Beau. I’ll meet you on the front porch.” Sarah hung up. Before she left the room, she slowly closed the blinds.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
G
OLDEN
SUNBEAMS
SKIMMED
the placid waters of Indian Lake like tiny sprites as Annie and Timmy rode the bus to their new school. Their first terror, of waiting for the bus, was behind them. The new bus route allowed for the school bus to pick up four kids at the corner just down from Mrs. Beabots’s house. On the first day, Luke had walked them to the bus stop and made certain they understood the routine.
The other two kids were younger than Annie. She was happy not to have to face older kids at the bus stop.
Annie was overwhelmed by the huge school. A large expanse of land held walking trails, a volleyball court and a regulation soccer field with bleachers for the parents to watch the competitions. The school building itself was filled with sunshine and natural light that streamed in through clear glass ceilings and skylights that ran along the hallways. The classrooms were cheery and the kids all sat at tables rather than individual desks like she had at St. Mark’s. There was an enormous television screen in the front of her class and over a dozen computers at stations on the right side of the room. The teacher had decorated the walls with posters, artwork and stickers for the school’s September Reading Month projects.
Mrs. Geary was a tall woman with a caring, soft, but firm voice. She seemed to smooth her blond, chin-length hair a lot.
Annie was assigned her place at a table in between two boys who kept looking at her out of the corner of their eyes instead of just looking right in her face. Annie decided she didn’t like either of them. She hugged her reading book and kept her eyes on the teacher, afraid to make a move right or left.
At lunch, Annie found Timmy and helped him go through the lunch line and pay for his food.
They sat at an empty table near the doors. “I don’t like it here,” Timmy said, opening his carton of milk and inserting a straw. “The teacher put me next to a creepy girl. She keeps pinching my arm.”
“Tell the teacher. She’ll make her stop.”
Timmy looked at his sister with a horrified expression. “And become a tattletale on the first day of school?”
Annie agreed. “You’re right. Wrong move. Pinch her back.”
He shook his head. “What if she goes crying to the teacher? I’m toast.”
“Right.” Annie thought for a long moment as she munched on a turkey sandwich. “Let’s ask Sarah what to do.”
Timmy brightened. “Right after school, okay? We can call her at work from Mrs. Beabots’s phone.”
“Okay.”
* * *
F
OR
OVER
TWO
weeks, every day at three-thirty, Sarah received a phone call from either Annie or Timmy about another crisis they faced at their new school. Sarah assured them that all these problems would be ironed out as time went on, and many of them were.
However, by the sixteenth phone call in as many afternoons, Sarah began to see a pattern forming. She immediately went to Charmaine.
Sarah tapped on Charmaine’s office door and went in. Charmaine looked up from her computer. “Oh, Sarah. I was just going to call you in. Did you get those Frank Lloyd Wright stained-glass panels we looked at?”
“I lost the bid, as you can imagine. But I found three replicas, same colors, same size, made by a guy up in Traverse City. They’re stunning. And a fraction of the cost. They’re being shipped tomorrow.”
“Good. Also, what’s going on with the church bid?”
Sarah beamed. “Jerry Mason won the bid. I just got the call from Father Michael. I thought I’d give Jerry a call when we finish.”
“Excellent.” Charmaine smiled as she considered Sarah. “I know this look.” She wagged her finger. “Something’s up.”
“I’d like to know if I could start leaving the office at three every day. I’ll still work at home. You know I will.”
“I’m not ever worried about you getting the job done. Quite the contrary. I worry that you often work too much. So why do you need to leave early?”
“Annie and Timmy are having a hard time adjusting to their new school. They call me every day when they get home with some problem that they have.”
“Shouldn’t they be calling their father?” Charmaine asked with a raised eyebrow.
“They should. Many times he’s on a job and can’t talk. I know they talk to him when he comes home. But I get the feeling they don’t want to tell him some of these things.”
“Such as?”
“They’re scared, Charmaine. Intimidated. Even terrified of bullies.”
“That’s a real problem—certainly more so than in my childhood. Even cyber-bullies. It makes me cringe.”
“I told Luke about it, and though he’s talked to the kids and told them to report any incidents to their teachers, it’s not enough.”
“And what is?” Charmaine asked.
“I was thinking if I was home so that they could stay with me instead of with Mrs. Beabots, where they mostly just stay to themselves, it would be better for them. We could talk things out and they’d have...”
“...a mother?” Charmaine offered with pointed accusation in her eyes.
“A friend, Charmaine.”
“Sarah, I think you’re treading on dangerous ground. I know you love these kids. I know you want what is best for them, but if you do this, you run the risk of really making Luke mad. I think you’re setting yourself up for even more heartbreak.”
Sarah inhaled deeply. “I’ve thought of that, but these kids are so darling, so precious, I’m willing to face Luke’s wrath. They aren’t possessions. They’re human beings, and right now, they need me.”
Charmaine folded her hands on the desk and peered at Sarah. “Know what? I agree with you. If it was me, I’d do the same thing. I’d face the devil himself if I thought I could help them out. I remember being that little and that scared in grade school. I think it’s a treacherous place. If I had kids, I’d homeschool.” She chuckled. “Anyway,” she waved her hand in the air. “Go. Take the time. Once you think the kids are settled in, then you’ll come back to the office.”
“Absolutely,” Sarah assured her.
* * *
L
UKE
WALKED
INTO
the construction office in time to hear Jerry say, “Thanks so much for letting me know the good news, Sarah.”
Luke waited until Jerry hung up the phone. “Sarah Jensen?”
“Yeah.” Jerry grinned and actually rocked back on his heels. “We got it.”
“Got what?”
Jerry laughed. “Sorry. I didn’t say anything to anyone before this because I was afraid it might not happen. We won the construction bid for St. Mark’s renovations!” He slapped Luke’s hard upper arm. “We’re saved for the winter, buddy!”
Luke looked at Jerry suspiciously. “I didn’t know we were in the running. There were some much bigger outfits than us.”
“Yeah. And they bid big, too. Since you told me about that summer festival, I contacted Charmaine Chalmers and she put me in touch with Sarah, who went to the pastor or board or somebody and we got the job.”
Luke rubbed the back of his neck, wondering why he felt strange about this good news. This meant his crews would have work through the winter. Barry and the other guys who were helping him with the ballroom could now use that money as secondary income. This meant that by next spring, when the church was finished, Luke would have enough money to move the kids to their own home. More important, he’d be able to afford the tuition at St. Mark’s again.
Luke was aware that Annie and Timmy were having a difficult time in their new school. Initially, he wanted to chalk it up to first-week jitters. Then he started hearing Timmy whisper to his sister about the “big kids” and Annie told Mrs. Beabots that there was a group of girls in the fourth grade who called themselves “Mean Girls.”
Luke had never broached the subject about bullies with his kids. He had no idea if they knew how to defend themselves, what to do or not do. This new landscape was suddenly just as frightening to Luke as it was to the kids.
He wondered if this was payback from the universe for his pride in turning down Mrs. Beabots’s “scholarships.” He hoped not. He didn’t want his kids to have to pay for his foolhardiness.
“This is really good news, Jerry. This could make a real difference in my life.”
Jerry beamed joy. “You’re telling me? I can’t wait to call my wife. I think I’ll take her out for burgers tonight to celebrate.”
Luke bit his bottom lip. Simple reaction. Wanting to share joy with someone you love. But Luke didn’t have anyone to call or share a burger with. Jenny was gone.
Suddenly, Luke wondered if it was always going to be like this for him.
Moments of joy came so seldom in life, and to not venerate them was somehow wrong.
He thought of Sarah. She was the one who’d made this all happen. He knew her well enough by now to know that winning this bid had everything to do with Sarah and little to do with their expertise as a construction company.
Sarah was giving Luke another gift. She hadn’t told him about the bid or the possibility of Jerry winning it. She hadn’t asked for an accolade or pat on the back. She just took care of business. She helped out a friend.
He needed to thank her.
Luke looked at his watch. “Jerry, I know it’s only a little after four. Do you mind if I knock off early? I thought I’d stop by Sarah’s office and thank her from both of us. Heck. All of us!”
“Great idea, Luke,” Jerry said, picking up the phone. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
S
ARAH
SAT
ON
the piano bench next to Annie and went through the scales with her. Annie had tinkered around with the piano at the church through the summer and had taught herself a few rudimentary songs.
“Very good. Let’s try something a bit more difficult than ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.’” Sarah flipped through the pages of her very first piano music book. The pages were worn and the binding coming apart, but Sarah didn’t care. With the turn of each page she remembered her mother sitting on this same piano bench, teaching her just as she was now passing on her skills to Annie.
Timmy sat on the floor playing tug-of-war with Beau, who had a thick, tied rope clamped in his teeth.
“Beau did really good on his walk,” Timmy said. “I scooped his poop and put it in the bags and then put it in the poop barrels on the boulevard.”
Sarah sucked in a horrified breath. “Timmy Bosworth! You did not cross that street all by yourself!”
“No! Annie watched me. Besides, Miss Sarah, I can cross by myself. I’m in first grade now.”
Shaking her head, Sarah scolded him, “I don’t care. If I’m not home, you ask Mrs. Beabots to watch for you. Okay?”
“Okay,” Timmy replied guiltily.
Sarah placed her hands on the keys and halted. She spun around on the bench. “Just how far down Maple Avenue did you walk?”
“Only one block and then back, just like I promised Dad,” Timmy said defensively. “I heard him when he asked Mrs. Beabots to watch out for us. He said he didn’t want us to be kidnapped.”
Annie shivered. “Snatched. That’s what Mom used to say. You can’t be too careful.”
“Hmm,” Sarah mused. “I think from now on, I better go with you when you walk Beau. If you promise never to go farther than either corner, that’s okay. Maybe I should buy you a cell phone so you can call me if there’s trouble.”
“Seriously?” Annie asked.
Sarah lifted her chin and pretended to peer at the sheet music. “I think I need to look into these things. I’m not used to having kids around. I can already see there are all sorts of dangers.”
Annie looked up at Sarah. “You really care about us, don’t you, Miss Sarah?”
Sarah’s eyes welled as she put her hand on Annie’s head and smoothed her hair. “Of course I do. I couldn’t love you more if you were my own,” she said.
Impulsively, Annie threw her arms around Sarah’s neck and hugged her tightly. “I’m so glad because I love you, too.”
Timmy didn’t look up from his play with Beau, but he’d heard every word of the conversation. “I love you, Beau,” he said and kissed the dog’s head.
* * *
L
UKE
HAD
JUST
reached the bottom step of Sarah’s porch when he looked up to the open front windows and saw Sarah sitting at her piano with Annie.
Luke had stopped at Sarah’s office and was told by the receptionist that Sarah had gone home early that day. He’d thanked the pleasant woman and had driven away, thinking of just how he should thank Sarah.
As he approached the house, he was surprised to hear the sound of his children’s voices coming from inside. He’d thought they would be at Mrs. Beabots’s, helping her with dinner or watching television.
At first, Luke smiled, hearing Timmy’s giggles as he played with Beau on the floor. Luke could see the dog lick Timmy’s cheek and then pick up one end of a large rope, flinging the other end at Timmy, urging his friend to play.
Then he heard a few plunks on the piano, a missed key and a few bars played perfectly. He heard the muffled sounds of Sarah’s voice as she spoke to Annie.
But it was the distinct and reverberating echo of Annie’s words that caused Luke’s internal protection devices to engage. “I’m so glad because I love you, too.”
Luke peered through the screen and watched his daughter wrap her arms around Sarah. Sarah’s back was to him, but he distinctly saw Annie’s joy-filled face.
Jealousy gripped Luke in an excruciating vise. His anger stormed from its cage, free and unfettered as it had never been before. Luke felt as if he could tear the door right off its hinges.
He should be the one his daughter was hugging. He should be the one making his son laugh. He should be the one they sought out for everything. He didn’t know why the kids were here and not next door, waiting for him. Why did they need Sarah and not him? Why was she better for them than he was?
Luke went to the door and banged his fist on the wood. “Annie! Timmy! You come out of there right now!”
* * *
S
TARTLED
BY
THE
banging, Sarah jumped. She looked at a horrified Annie. “I’ll take care of this,” she said, touching Annie’s cheek reassuringly.
“Okay,” Annie said, already starting to shiver.
Timmy sat stock-still on the floor and watched as Sarah walked to the door.
Miss Milse came rushing from the kitchen with a very large rolling pin in her hand. She clomped up behind Sarah while Sarah opened the door.
“I want my kids,” Luke fumed, looking past Sarah at Miss Milse.
Miss Milse raised the rolling pin high enough so that he could see it.
Annie scrambled off the piano bench and rushed over to Sarah, standing next to her. “We’re here, Dad,” Annie said bravely.
“Exactly. Here and not at home. You and Timmy go next door. I have to talk to Sarah.”
Timmy hugged Beau one last time and slowly trudged past Sarah and out the door. As he reached the top step he turned around. “Bye, Miss Sarah. Thank you for letting me play with Beau.”
“You’re welcome, Timmy,” she said.
Annie looked up at Sarah. “Thank you for the lesson,” she said and then glared at her father. Quickly, she raced across the porch and down the steps to her brother.
Luke glared at Sarah. “Can we get rid of the bouncer, please?” he said, motioning toward Miss Milse.
Sarah turned around. “It’s okay, Miss Milse.” She turned back to Luke. “He won’t be staying long.”
“You’re right about that,” Luke said.
“What’s this all about? Now my house is off-limits to them?”
“In a word, yes. You and your house. I saw that little display you had in there with Annie. I was right all along. You were using my kids. You keep inching your way in bit by bit.” He threw his hands up in the air. “This was all a mistake! I should never have moved next door. I guess I wasn’t thinking straight at the time. I definitely should have rented out of town.”
Sarah stood her ground, matching his laser looks with some of her own. “Are you finished?”
“Just stay away from my kids. You got that?”
“I got it. But now you get this, lunkhead. I don’t care what you think you heard or if you heard everything correctly. I’ll spell it out for you. I love your kids, and whoa! News alert. They love me back. You can’t change that. But as you so distinctly put it, they aren’t my kids. They’re yours. So I will abide by your rules and not allow them into my house. You, however, will be the one to tell Timmy he can’t play with Beau anymore. You tell your talented daughter that she has to wait to learn the piano. By the way, most kids these days aren’t up to the discipline, but she’s wise enough to know she will be rewarded in the end. And then you can abide by
my
rule,” she continued, feeling indignation and power mingle in her veins. “You don’t come here, either. Ever. You got that?”
“Fine by me.”
“One last thing, Luke. I just want to know what it feels like carrying around that iceberg inside your chest that you call a heart. It must burn something fierce!”
Sarah slammed her front door and threw the dead bolt.