Authors: Lesa Henderson
Chapter Eleven
The next Sunday morning, Megan sat with Cindy and Alan in church. Lee, arriving a few moments behind her, filed into the pew next to them. As he took his seat, he and Megan smiled warmly at one another. Out of the corner of her eye, Megan caught her best friend nudging her husband in the side, causing him to grin and nod as well.
Following the service, Lee offered to take them all to Chatley’s Bed and Breakfast Inn. “Come on; as my treat, consider it an act of gratitude for all you’ve done.”
“You’ll absolutely love the place, Cindy,” Megan promised. “The food is out of this world.” It really didn’t take much to convince the other couple and soon they were all on their way.
Megan rode to and from Chatley with Lee in his truck while Cindy, Katie and Alan followed behind in their car. Soon, what started, as a nice gesture became a wonderful habit for the foursome and baby Katie. They always enjoyed themselves and were all becoming very fond of Lee’s aunt and uncle, who seemed to love the weekly visit by the group.
Megan began looking forward to Sundays, with great anticipation. However, she was concerned it was more than just the church services. She felt as if she was learning a great deal from Pastor Dan’s teaching, or as Cindy put it, having her mind renewed. Megan also really enjoyed the wonderful time spent at the Inn and the camaraderie that was shared between the couples. However, she was finding it was the thought of spending time in Lee’s company that created the anticipation.
Just knowing she was going to be seeing him and spending time with him never failed to make her weekends brighter. As well as being a great conversationalist, with a wonderful sense of humor, he was a good listener. She was beginning to cherish Lee’s friendship and the time they shared.
While their talks were always interesting, there were also times during the half-hour drive across the mountain that she and Lee would sit in complete and amicable silence. These quiet times were never strained or uncomfortable. The more time she spent with Lee, the more she wanted to and the more she questioned how he made her feel.
Times like when his eyes caught and held hers in a penetrating gaze, causing her breath to catch in her throat. She felt as if this strong, gentle man could see into the depths of her soul. Try as she might, Megan could not escape the intensity of his stare.
Nor, could she escape the way his touch made her feel. If his hand accidentally brushed hers, or he took her hand to help her in or out of the truck, her skin tingled. If he leaned in close to share a thought, a shiver ran through her. The feelings Lee was evoking frightened her. Megan didn’t want to feel what she was feeling. She vowed long ago to never let a man get close to her, to never open herself up for the kind of pain she experienced with Trevor or watched her mother go through when her father left. Unfortunately, she seemed helpless to avoid it. Like a moth drawn to the flame, she was drawn to Lee’s warmth.
On one hand, she wanted nothing more than to open her heart to him; while on the other, she was terrified of trusting him, or any man, ever again. As the weeks went by though, she began to realize that something was drawing them together.
Or was it someone? Was God putting Lee in her life?
****
Several weeks later on a ride back from lunch at the Inn, without realizing it or even knowing how the subject came up, Megan began to share her father’s betrayal with Lee. Excluding Cindy, Megan had never spoken of the incident with anyone else.
“The three years following the conversation I overheard between my parents passed with relative smoothness. It was almost as if the incident never happened.
Almost.
Looking back now, I can see it was an unspoken thing between my parents, and of course, one I never mentioned. They didn’t know I had overheard them and I think I wanted so badly to believe everything was okay that I convinced myself it hadn’t happened. Consequently, life resumed as usual, as did our family relationship. I idolized my father, Lee, and in turn, he made me feel as if he adored me. He treated me like a princess.”
“I’m sure your father loved you very much, Megan,” Lee offered sincerely.
Much to Megan’s dismay, her eyes moistened and she kept dabbing at the corners attempting to keep the tears from escaping. Not quickly enough, it would seem, for Lee not to notice. Within an instant, he was pulling his truck to a safe place off on the side of the road.
He turned in his seat and took both of her hands, holding them in his larger ones. At his gentle nod, Megan cleared her throat and continued.
“Shortly after my eleventh birthday, I began to sense all was not as it should be. The tension in the house was tangible, and as the days passed, it seemed only to intensify. My mother did her best to shield me from the currents surging beneath the surface but…” Megan shrugged her shoulders and shook her head.”
“But you knew something was wrong,” Lee surmised correctly and Megan nodded.
“Just as before, my dad began working late at night, not coming home until well past my bedtime. My mother and I began having more meals without him than we shared with him. Then, he began to travel on weekends.”
Looking back now as she recounted the events for Lee, Megan didn’t know how her mother tolerated it for as long as she had. Perhaps, it was her love for her husband and for the sake of her daughter that Megan’s mother had held onto the marriage with the tenacity of a bulldog.
At what cost to her pride and self-esteem?
Unfortunately, her mother had been fighting a losing battle, and eventually, her pride would no longer allow her to hang on to a husband who wanted to be with someone else.
Megan finally spoke again continuing her story. “One afternoon, I slipped home early from playing at the neighbors, and once again, overheard raised voices coming from my parents’ room. It was the last argument I witnessed. My father left that day.”
Lee was gently making a circle in her palm with his thumb, offering silent comfort while paying close attention as her past poured out of her.
“I don’t know how my mother found the strength to offer comfort to me when her own heart was shattered. I remember praying every night for my father to come home but he never did.” Megan grew very still.
“Six months after he walked out of our home, he was in a fatal car accident. My last memory of him is standing beside his casket, holding my mom’s hand, as we grieved over his lifeless body. I still find myself struggling with what could have been and never will be.”
“I’m sorry, Megan.” His compassion was her undoing, causing the tears to stream down her face freely. She hated herself for crying in front of him, yet again.
What’s wrong with me?
She felt like such a baby!
“You’re still very wounded by this,” he stated simply, and she nodded her answer.
“Understandably so. What your father did to both of you was wrong.” As he spoke, he tenderly removed a stray strand of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. “But, Megan, sweetheart, you’re going to have to forgive him.” His statement caused anger to well up inside her, anger that quickly stopped the flow of tears.
“I don’t know if I can, Lee. I’m still so angry. He left us; he left me. He just walked out of our lives, just like that…” She snapped her fingers for emphasis.
“The last time I spoke with him was on the phone and I shouted at him. I told him I hated him.” Her lip quivered with the memory, the anger being replaced by pain…and regret.
“You were just a child. A hurt and frightened little girl who’d lost her daddy. You didn’t really hate him, and you don’t hate him now, do you?”
With his question, the truth hit her hard and she could only shake her head. She whispered in a low broken voice, “I miss him, Lee. I still miss him terribly.”
Lee cupped her face with both hands, with one thumb he gently swiped at a lone tear that escaped, in spite of her determination not to cry anymore.
Megan leaned her head into one of his palms, drawing both comfort and understanding from the warmth of it against her cheek. That warmth seeped into the soft skin of her face, penetrating into her bones. Without thought, as if it were the most natural thing to do, she turned her face, placing a kiss on his long lean fingers. It was a kiss of gratitude, a kiss of thanks, for his understanding. It was a kiss that took her unaware.
His eyes lit with surprise, quickly changing to something more. They moved together and Lee’s head bent as his lips captured Megan’s. She surrendered in a kiss that was at once both sweet and passionate, her heart racing in her chest, beating erratically against her ribcage. Lee’s lips were firm, yet soft.
Lee was the one who pulled away and she immediately felt the loss. A part of her felt as if she could have stayed in his arms forever. He smiled tenderly at the bemused expression on her face. Without saying a word, he started the ignition and guided the truck back onto the road.
Somehow he seemed to know she needed some reassurance that though he had broken their embrace, he had not disconnected from her. He reached across the seat and wrapped her hand in his larger one. He held it for the remainder of the ride back to Laurel Ridge.
Megan faced forward in her seat, staring without seeing. She had seen the scenery enough times now that she really didn’t have to focus to know the passing countryside. Several times, she opened her mouth to say something, but could find no words.
What just happened?
Drained of all energy, she laid her head back on the seat and closed her eyes. She couldn’t help but visualize the kiss in her mind. She raised her free hand and tentatively touched her lips where Lee’s kiss still lingered. She sighed and snuggled deeper into the seat.
Chapter Twelve
Grace Community Fellowship was buzzing with activity surrounding the annual Spring Fling, which was held every year on the Saturday before Easter.
Cindy successfully roped Megan into helping plan the Easter egg hunt and the other events for which the church would be responsible. Although, reluctant at first, Megan’s excitement grew as time passed and the event grew closer. Doing nothing half-heartedly, she threw herself into the planning with all of her energy.
Lee enthusiastically came alongside Megan, Alan and Cindy on the committee Pastor Dan put together for the event. This placed Megan in Lee’s company on a more regular basis. To everyone’s delight, the planning sessions, involving the six couples, ended up being riotous fun, filled with plenty of good-natured banter. In spite of all the hilarity, the committee still managed to map out the events for the entire day.
“All right, folks, we need two more events other than the Easter egg hunt. Any suggestions?” Pastor Dan requested at their meeting.
Everyone sat for a moment silently contemplating.
“How about a three-legged race?” Megan suggested.
“Of course.” Pastor Dan lightly smacked himself on the forehead. “What would a day of games be without a three-legged race?”
“Or a sack hop?” Penny added.
“Perfect,” Pastor Dan said, writing the two events down. “Now, we have all the events covered. Now, I need a couple of volunteers to take care of one more thing for me?”
“What’s that?” Alan asked.
“I need someone who’s willing to be interviewed by the local news station and give them the run down on our Spring Fling and extend an invitation for the community to come out and join us.”
No one moved. In fact, everyone sat frozen, covertly looking at each other from under lowered eyelids.
Suddenly, Alan piped up, “Why not Lee and Megan?”
The nominated couple simultaneously jerked their heads toward Alan in shock.
“That’s a great idea…they’ll look good on camera,” Cindy chimed in agreement.
“Cindy!” Megan exclaimed.
Lee recovered enough to say, “Thanks, buddy.”
Alan grinned at his sarcasm, “Don’t mention it.”
“Maybe we should take a vote?” Penny suggested.
“That’s a great idea, sweetheart,” Pastor Dan said, moving right along. “All in favor of Lee and Megan doing the interview raise your hand.”
It was unanimous, and a few days later, Megan and Lee found themselves standing on the front steps of the church being interviewed.
“Can you tell us what a Spring Fling is?” the reporter asked, smiling at them and the camera.
Megan’s palms were sweating and her hands shook as she stood next to Lee. He described the upcoming event for the viewers, seeming very comfortable with the conversation and the camera recording them.
“It’s an outdoor event held right here in the valley. Vendors come from miles around and set up booths and tents to display and sell their crafts and food.”
“So it’s kind of like a large craft fair?” the reporter asked.
“Of sorts.” Lee nodded. “With free games, drawings for prizes and an Easter egg hunt for the kids in the afternoon.”
“There will also be live music and entertainment,” Megan mentioned, surprising herself, and then could have kicked herself when the reporter pointed the mike in her direction saying, “Tell us about that.”
Megan cleared her throat nervously. “W…well, there will be a stage put up and we’ll have a couple of local bands playing throughout the day, as well as some comic routines.”
“Sounds like a great time,” the reporter said.
“It is and we’d like everyone in the community and surrounding area to come out and join us,” Lee finished with a welcoming smile.
The reporter signed off with a reminder of the time and location for the viewers, and then shaking Megan and Lee’s hand, she and her crew began packing up.
Lee turned to Megan. “You did great.”
She shook her head. “No, but you did. I can’t believe I said anything at all.”
“You did fine. I bet we’ll have a huge response,” Lee predicted.
****
When the Saturday finally arrived, the community turned out in record numbers assuring that the Spring Fling was going to be a huge success.
The valley surrounding the church was a myriad of color from the canopies spreading across the sloping land. The canopies stood as booths for vendors offering various wares. The Spring Fling had grown in huge proportions since its inception four years earlier. What began as a local celebration by Grace Community Fellowship now had the participation of several surrounding counties. Nearby locals would trek through the mountains, arriving before dawn to set up booths where they would offer original crafts, including blown glass, wood works and quilting, to name a few, all exhibiting the pride of Appalachian craftsmanship and skill.
As Megan stood on the hill and inhaled the aroma from the foods being cooked below, she could feel the pounds being added to her hips as she stood there. The temptation to sample one of everything was very strong.
From where she was standing, she could see booths offering smoked sausage dogs, brats and hamburgers; there was even an old-fashioned pit barbeque where they were doing smoked pork. There were displays of candy and caramel apples, homemade fudge, cotton candy, cookies and peanut brittle, plus an assortment of baked goods. But, spotting the funnel cake booth was her undoing. Megan vowed that even if she had to walk an extra five miles the next day, she would have one of those, sprinkled with powdered sugar and topped with chocolate. Her mouth began watering in anticipation.
The three-legged race, sack hop, games and Easter egg hunt that she and the others were responsible for would begin later in the afternoon leaving Megan with a few hours to kill. Looking down at all of the canopies, she was uncertain where to begin.
Suddenly, her senses tingled in expectation. She realized why, when two large hands covered her eyes from behind and a familiar scent filled her nostrils. She breathed in the rugged, clean fragrance that was all Lee.
“Guess who?” a deep voice whispered.
“Uh, Humphrey Bogart?” she guessed, with a lilting tease.
“Aw, how did you know, sweetheart?” He feigned disappointment in his best Bogart voice and turned her around to face him. His eyes were alight with an emotion she was almost afraid to contemplate.
“I’ve been not-so-patiently waiting for someone I know to get here so I could go exploring.” Her whole body felt alive with anticipation.
“Exploring?” Lee asked, looking at her warmly.
“Yeah, silly.” She pointed to the valley of canopies. “I am so ready to head down there and check things out. I didn’t come last time, so this year I want to try everything. So how about it, Humphrey, do you want to go play?”
“Let’s not stand here wasting valuable time; we’ve got a lot of ground to cover.”
“And a lot of food to sample,” she added, taking his hand and fairly pulling him down the hill.
“Good thing I’ve brought plenty of money with me,” Lee said.
Megan seldom let him pay for her meal, always insisting on taking care of her own. “So did I.”
“Let’s just use mine,” Lee offered.
Megan paused in her descent and looked up at him, contemplating his offer.
“Let it be my treat today,” he persuaded.
“Are you asking me on a date, Mr. Bogart?” Megan asked, with a hint of a smile.
“Yes, Ms. Bacall, that’s exactly what I’m doing.”
“Okay, here’s lookin’ at you kid,” was her simple answer and she continued pulling him down the hill toward the activity.
By ten o’clock that morning, the valley was filled with people, including many of the new friends Megan had made in Laurel Ridge. Everyone smiled and greeted her as they passed. However, she did notice they drew a few curious stares. It wasn’t until that point she realized they were still holding hands. She knew the local gossips would be wondering if they were a couple, especially with them walking hand-in-hand, but for the first time in a long time, she really didn’t care. This felt right; it felt good.
If Lee was surprised at the change in her, she couldn’t blame him because she certainly was. She couldn’t explain it. It was as if her heart were a flower, which had been tightly closed against the elements, but was opening up again beneath the warmth of the sun.
This was something that had happened over the past several weeks. She was unsure what was responsible for the change. She felt Lee may have something to do with it and perhaps
God.
Being at the Spring Fling caused her to feel like a little girl again. She loved going from tent to tent examining the many different wares. The Appalachian craftsmanship had been handed down from generation to generation, and whatever their craft was, it had been completed with painstaking detail. Their finished products were displayed proudly.
Megan stopped so suddenly at the quilt booth Lee plowed into the back of her, nearly bowling them both over.
“Sorry.” She grimaced.
“Are you okay?” he asked. She simply nodded and then walked over to the object that had captured her attention.
It was the most beautiful quilt she had ever seen. It was alive with vibrant colors of deep violet interwoven in circle patterns with golden yellow. It was exactly what she had been looking for to cover her bed.
“It’s lovely, isn’t it?” An older lady stepped from behind the table and approached her.
“Quite.” Megan’s fingers ran over the detailed stitching. “It must have taken a long time.”
“It did. My daughter and I worked on it together. It’s identical to the one we made for her bed when she got married. You see this?” She pointed to the intertwined circles. “It’s the circle of love, or wedding rings.”
Megan stepped back and examined it again. Sure enough, the two circles could be intertwined wedding rings. “It is very beautiful. If I knew someone who was getting married, I believe I might have to buy it for them.”
“You could always buy it for yourself and put it in your hope chest,” the woman suggested kindly. Megan was speechless.
Hope chest!
That would indicate a hope of getting married and she just didn’t think that was possible. She glanced over at Lee out of the corner of her eye as she could feel warmth rising in her face. She knew she must be a hideous shade of red by now but couldn’t stop the process no matter how she tried to convince herself it wasn’t happening.
“It’s really very lovely; I’ll think about it.” All she could think about was getting away from this booth, this situation.
“All right, here’s my card; if you change your mind, phone me at home. I live just over in the next county.” Megan accepted the card with a smile and was relieved the woman had not pressed the issue. She placed the business card in her pocket, stepping away, only to turn back as a thought hit her.
While she steered clear of the wedding ring quilt, there was something else that caught her eye. She and Lee left the booth with a Mother’s Day gift for Megan’s mom. It was a plum and cream colored afghan just the perfect size for her mom to cuddle up with while she read or watched television. The patterns on the piece were simple, tasteful; something her mother would love.
Over lunch, Lee convinced Megan to partner with him in the adult three-legged race. Now, as they were tying their ankles together, Megan wondered if she was crazy for attempting such a thing, or perhaps Lee was the crazy one for even suggesting it. After all, he was fully aware of her klutz handicap.
He paused in his attempt at tying them together. “What is it?”
“Are you a glutton for punishment? You actually want the Queen of Klutz as your partner?”
Lee’s laughter rang out and he could only nod while trying to get himself under control.
“Okay,” she relented, helping to finish tying the rope that would bind them together. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you. You are doing this at your own risk.”
“So noted,” he said, with one firm nod of his head. “It’s a risk I’m willing to take since it may be the only chance I get to roll around in the dirt with the prettiest woman here.” Heat flooded Megan’s face as he winked.
Finishing the race in last place, they hobbled across the finish line covered in dirt and grass, collapsing in a heap on the ground. Struggling to catch her breath, Megan couldn’t help reminding him of their earlier conversation. “I warned you that you were taking a risk so I don’t want to hear a word out of you.”
Everyone gathered around them laughing. Someone suggested they should at least be given a ribbon for being the most determined and the most hilarious contestants.
“You’d think a big strapping guy like you could have picked up a little thing like her, tossed her over your shoulder and still made it across the finish line in first place.” Alan ribbed Lee while a giggling Cindy tried to help Megan get their feet untied.
“And how was I supposed to do that with our ankles tied together, oh brainy one?”
Alan shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. “It’s not my job to figure out the details, buddy, just to point out the mistakes.”
Lee laughed and shook his head.
“His mistake may have been allowing himself to be tied to the clumsiest woman in Laurel Ridge,” Cindy added, with a smile and a wink at Megan.
Both Lee and Megan took the teasing in stride.
They celebrated their loss over a hot funnel cake, drizzled in chocolate, before returning to help with the sack race and Easter egg hunt. By the end of the day, Megan was totally exhausted, but she couldn’t remember when she had enjoyed herself more. When she laid her head on her pillow that night, her sleepy thoughts were filled with images of a certain veterinarian. A very handsome, kind one.