Bobbi Smith (28 page)
Authors: Heaven
“The man who owns the building, a Mr. Markham, is planning to sell it. He wants Mrs. Sutherland to move all the children out of here within the next two weeks.”
“Two weeks?” He stared at him in horror. “But this is our home!”
“I know. That’s what she was crying about last night when you saw her. That’s why I’m here this morning. I went to speak with Mr. Markham this morning. I was hoping I could convince him to change his mind about selling, but he refused. Right now, I’ve got to talk to Mrs. Sutherland, so we can try to figure out a way to save this place for you and the other children. Do you have any ideas? Can you think of anything that might help?”
Tommy was in shock. The thought that his home here with Miss Catherine might be disrupted had never occurred to him. She was the one constant, stable thing in his life. She was his anchor, his rock, his reason for being. Surely, Miss Catherine would be able to save them. She always took care of everything. But then he remembered her tears. . . . He frowned in concentration.
“I’ll think of something. I won’t let her down. I’ll help her.”
“I knew I could count on you,” Matt praised him.
Tommy shot him a tight look. “What do you care? You’re leaving. This is for me and Miss Catherine to handle. We don’t need you or your help.”
Matt recognized the fierce honor in him. But while he respected him for his devotion, he also knew it was important that a man be able to accept help when he needed it. “In times like these, you need all the help you can get, and I want to help. I’d like you to trust me, Tommy, but even if you don’t, I’m going to do everything in my power to help Mrs. Sutherland.”
They stood looking at each other for a minute—one man mentally offering his hand in support, the other soon-to-be man still harboring serious doubts about his true motives and accepting his aid. Neither male gave ground.
When the boy didn’t respond, Matt calmly moved past him and went on up the stairs and into the building.
As Tommy watched him go, he carried on a mental battle with himself. Deep in his heart, a part of him wanted to believe in Matt and trust him, but he’d learned early in life how dangerous it could be to trust anyone. Right now, there was only one person he put his faith in, and that was Miss Catherine. He’d made up his mind long ago to always be there when she needed him. Having lived through the horror of desertion and loneliness, he knew firsthand how devastating it was to be completely alone. He would support Miss Catherine now, and he would do everything he could to help. He just wondered how truly serious Mr. McKittrick was about staying and helping. He hoped he meant it. But he still had his doubts.
Matt went in to see Catherine. When he’d left her the night before, he’d hoped to have good news for her the next time they met. He’d wanted to make her smile. It pained him that he couldn’t tell her he’d convinced Markham to change his mind. Still, as bad as his message was, he was determined that whatever terrible challenge she faced, he would face it with her.
“Good morning.” Catherine had been expecting him, and she smiled in welcome as he entered her office. Once again, she was struck by how attractive he was, but when her gaze met his and she saw the seriousness of his expression, the frivolous thought was banished from her mind. She had no time to distract herself with such things. The children were all that mattered. She had to take care of the children.
“Good morning,” he greeted her, glad to see her again and glad to see that she didn’t look as distressed. “Are you feeling better this morning?”
“I’m not sure.” Her tone was quiet as her gaze searched his face. “You tell me how I’m feeling.”
“Markham refused to listen to me,” he told her the truth, seeing no reason to drag out the suspense.
“Oh.” It was more of a sigh of resignation, than an exclamation. “Did you manage to find out why he was doing this? And why now, after all these years?”
“I asked him, and he got angry with me for challenging him on his decision. When I pressed him for an answer, he finally told me that his daughter had died some years ago, and how when she was in need no one had offered her any help. He lost her and his granddaughter. He’s very bitter. He wants nothing more to do with children.”
“I didn’t know about his daughter,” Catherine said sadly, lifting her troubled gaze to Matt. “It must have been awful for him. Losing a child . . .”
Matt’s gaze rested warmly upon her, and he saw all the goodness and gentleness in her. Every kind thing about her was real. She possessed no pretense or artifice. She was an honest, giving person, and in his opinion that made her rare and precious. “I told Markham that by helping others now, he would be making a difference for someone else. But he wanted nothing to do with it. He’s been hurt so badly by his loss that all he wants to do is forget the whole world.”
“I can understand that . . .” she murmured, memories of the total blackness and complete pointlessness of her own life after she’d lost her family surging back to fill her with deep, abiding pain.
Matt saw the change in her, and he couldn’t stop himself from going to her. That look of pain on her face was so poignant, that he suddenly felt compelled to hold her and comfort her. He wanted to take her in his arms. He held himself back. “You understand his loss . . .”
When Catherine glanced up at him, her own personal agony was still evident in her eyes. “Yes. I lost the two people on Earth I loved the most—my husband and my daughter. They were killed in an accident some years ago.”
Matt was stunned. He’d thought she was happily married. “I’m sorry.” He reached out and put a gentle, supportive hand on her arm hoping that small humane gesture could offer her solace. He was amazed at how fragile she felt to him.
Matt’s touch was comforting, and Catherine almost let herself enjoy it, but reality forced her to be strong. With an almost physical effort, she focused her thoughts back on her present problem. “Shortly after they died, I came here to St. Joan’s for the first time to do volunteer work. I’ve been here with the children ever since. And now . . .”
“You’ve done a wonderful job,” Matt complimented her. “I just wish I could have brought you better news on Markham, but he was adamant.”
“You tried. That’s more than I can say for most. I guess I’ll just have to find a way out of this by myself. I do appreciate your efforts, Matt.”
“I’m not through yet,” he vowed. “There must be something else that can be done.”
“I wish I knew what.”
“Would you like to go to dinner tonight? Maybe if we work together we can think of a plan.” Matt was surprised to find he was a little nervous as he waited for her answer. He’d been attracted to her from the start, but had denied it because he’d thought she was married. He would never have wished tragedy or unhappiness upon her, but he couldn’t deny feeling glad that she was unattached.
“I’d like that very much,” she accepted, wondering why her heart was suddenly beating such a swift rhythm.
“I’ll be by for you about seven.” Matt turned to go, but her call to him stopped his progress.
“Matt.”
“Yes?”
“Thanks.”
He nodded at her, then left the room. His mood was both elated and somber. He was thrilled that Catherine had agreed to have dinner with him, but the danger of losing St. Joan’s still loomed over them. He hoped he could come up with a new idea before he saw her tonight.
Matt was just starting from the building, when he saw the little girl named Lisa wandering down the hall. She had obviously been crying and she was clutching something to her as if it were a most cherished object.
“Lisa? Is there something wrong?” He went to her and hunkered down before her. The sight of her tear-ravaged face tore at his heart.
“No. I was just lookin’ for Tommy,” she muttered with a loud sniff as she wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand.
“What is it? Can I help?”
“My doll broke, and I hafta find Tommy so he can fix it.” She shyly showed him her one-legged doll and then pulled the missing leg from her pocket.
“I’ll be glad to try to fix it for you.”
“No.” Her answer came quickly. “Tommy will do it. He always fixes everything for me.” She stuffed the leg back in the pocket of her dress and tucked the doll protectively under her arm.
“Tommy and I are friends, too, Lisa. I’m sure he’d want me to help you if he isn’t here to do it. I’m probably not as good as he is at fixing things, but I’d like to try, if you’ll let me.”
Lisa heard the sincerity in his voice and gazed up at him. Her eyes met his, and she stared at him as if she were looking into his very soul.
Matt met her regard fully, and he was struck again by how lovely she was.
She paused for minute, cautious, then after wrestling with the decision, she finally held the broken toy and its leg out to him. “Okay.”
Matt took her proffered treasure and moved to sit on one of the benches nearby. Lisa followed him there and stood beside him watching as he worked. It took a little doing for he wasn’t all that familiar with girls’ toys, but he managed. His expression was nothing short of triumphant as he looked up at the patiently waiting child.
“Here. All done.” Matt handed her the doll, once again all in one piece.
“Thanks,” she told him with a big, bright smile.
“You’re more than welcome, sweetheart.” He touched her cheek affectionately, and he was glad when she did not shy away.
“Are you gonna stay here, Mr. McKittrick?”
“I’ll be here as long as necessary,” he replied, not wanting to lie to her.
“What’s that mean?”
“It means that I plan to stay as long as Mrs. Sutherland needs me.” He meant every word.
“I hope she needs you for a long time.” She grinned at him.
Matt grinned back. “Have you been here for a long time?”
“Yes. I’ve been here since I was little.”
He chuckled. “So you’re a grown-up young lady now.”
“Uh-huh,” she agreed.
He thought of his days in the orphanage and how he’d grown up before his time. Children deserved a carefree childhood. He was glad that Catherine was here for these little ones, and he was glad that Lisa had Tommy. He envied that they had each other. He’d had no one when he was young.
“I’ve got to go now,” Lisa announced, all now right with her world.
“Me, too.”
As he stood up to leave, the front door opened and Tommy came in.
“Tommy! Look! Mr. McKittrick fixed my doll,” Lisa announced as she held it up for him to see.
Tommy’s expression grew suspicious as he looked from Lisa, who was known for her shyness around strangers, to Matt, and then back again. “Let me see.”
“Sure.” She handed him the doll. “Didn’t he do a good job?”
Tommy gave a soft snort of derision as he inspected his work.
Matt understood the boy’s resentment. “Lisa had been looking for you, but when she couldn’t find you, I helped out as best I could. See what you think about the job I did. I’m not very good with toys. I hope I fixed it right.”
Tommy scrutinized the doll carefully and made several adjustments to the repaired leg.
Matt knew exactly what the boy was doing. He knew it was important that Tommy maintain his position of hero in Lisa’s eyes, and Matt would do nothing to hurt their relationship. He smiled as he watched the two together.
Lisa looked on in awe as her Tommy corrected the other man’s work. In her eyes, he could do no wrong.
“There, that should do it now,” the youth said as he gave it back to her.
“Thanks, Tommy.” She hugged the doll to her as she gazed up at him with open adoration.
“How did I do?” Matt finally asked.
“It wasn’t right, so I fixed it.”
“Then it’s a good thing you came in when you did.”
“Yeah, it was.”
“Tommy, tonight Mrs. Sutherland and I are going out to dinner. How would you like to join us?” Matt wanted to win his trust. He could think of no better way than to include him at dinner that evening. He hoped by treating him like an adult and giving credence to his opinions, he might be able to forge a relationship with him. Matt didn’t know why he felt that was important, he just knew he did. There was something about the boy that reminded him of himself at the same age.
Tommy glanced up at him sharply. “Look, Mr. McKittrick, there’s no reason for you to be nice to me. I know you’re leaving just as soon as you get what you came here for. You don’t really care about us.”
Matt’s initial reaction was irritation. He wasn’t used to having people doubt him, but then he reminded himself that the child had been raised in the orphanage. Catherine had done a fine job, but she couldn’t erase all the pain and damage that had been done when he’d been abandoned. Tommy had to live with and accept the fact that he’d been left on the streets as a toddler and that he had no family to call his own. Matt knew the feeling, and he knew the insecurity that came with it. He still dealt with it every day. It never went away, you just learned how to handle the emptiness and fear.
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