Broken Things (Faded Photograph Series) (9 page)

“Yeah, it appears that way, doesn’t it?”

“Well, not to worry. I’m going to start collecting work for them. I spend a couple hours each day at the copy machine, copying and collating various documents. It’s a perfect job for those girls, don’t you think? It’ll sure free me up.”

“Marvelous idea. You’re a genius.”

“Not really.” The middle-aged woman smiled. “I just have a daughter in the youth group…and she’s a groupie too.”

Logan groaned.

“But I’ve forbidden her to come in here and make a nuisance of herself. She really needs her study hall to…well, study.”

“Imagine that.” Logan grinned.“I didn’t think anyone studied during study hall.”

“Pastor, if you don’t mind me saying so.” Mrs. McMillan’s expression changed to one more serious. “A wife would really deter these girls.”

Like I haven’t heard that before.
Logan blew out a weary sigh. “I’m working on it.” He strode toward his office. “I’m working on it.”

Chapter Seven

Labor Day. How fitting
.
Allie put her hands on her hips, and glanced around the extended-stay suite she’d moved into over the weekend. Boxes that she’d had Nick ship from home last week lined one wall, waiting to be unpacked―for a second time in three months. And now she could settle in for the next six months or however long the reorganization of Arbor Springs would take.

Strolling into the kitchen, Allie prepared a cup of tea. The place supplied basic amenities, furniture, appliances, dishes, and she’d picked up some groceries Saturday morning. Best of all, her temporary place of residence was almost walking distance to Arbor Springs.

Tea in hand, Allie began to unpack and tidy up. She mulled over Nora’s recent invitation to their family’s Labor Day picnic. Should she accept? Nora mentioned that there was a chance Jack would show up, and Allie really wanted to stay out of the guy’s way. On the other hand, Nora also said he rarely showed even though he was invited year after year.

Should she? Shouldn’t she? Allie debated while unpacking. Finally she decided to brave the picnic, figuring it beat sitting in her hotel room alone on this gorgeous, sunny day.

Around noon, Allie headed for the shower. Afterwards, she dressed in a denim skirt and a blue and white striped short sleeve sweater. She brushed out her hair and applied her cosmetics, adding concealing cream to her unsightly scar. With that completed, she slipped her feet into comfortable, navy leather flats, grabbed her purse, and left the hotel.

During the drive to Steve and Nora’s, Allie reflected on this past week at Arbor Springs. After conducting several interviews, it didn’t take her long to discover she was in over her head. She met opposition at every turn, largely because the nursing staff resented her for not having a medical background. Every one of the nurses and nurses’ aids stated that he or she was “overworked and underpaid” and that the upper echelons in Administration didn’t care as long as the Medicare and Medicaid funds kept rolling in. To a point, Allie understood their frustrations. But she felt powerless to help them because the majority of the staff had poor attitudes and was unwilling to cooperate with the reorganization process.

What do I do, Heavenly Father?
Her grip loosened on the steering wheel and her shoulders relaxed back against the padded seat. God would show her. He always did.

* * *

Jack grumbled as he pulled on his blue jeans. How had he let Logan talk him into showing up at Steve and Nora’s picnic today? Well, that’s not exactly true. He knew how Logan had gotten to him.

“Aw, c’mon, Dad. It’ll be fun. Besides, I want you to get better acquainted with Marilee. I want to pop the question soon, and―”

“I met her,” Jack countered. “She’s a nice girl. What more do you want me to say? It’s your life.”

Logan had turned momentarily pensive. “I just don’t want to make a mistake.”

Like you did.

Those three unspoken words had hung between him and Logan until bile rose up into Jack’s throat.

“You’re a smart guy, Logan. Just listen to…well, you know…God. Listen to God. You’re in the ministry, after all.”

“I’m trusting the Lord each step of the way, but I’d still appreciate your input. Can’t you just show up for an hour or so? You’re not working today. When’s the last time you had a holiday off and enjoyed it with your family?”

“All right! All right!” Jack held up his hands to forestall further argument. “I’ll come.”

Logan had grinned from ear to ear. “Great. I’ll see you there.” On that note, he’d left the condo.

That had been nearly two hours ago, and Jack supposed it was high time he got himself in gear and made his promised appearance.

Logan was one persistent kid. Jack pulled on a shirt and buttoned it up the front.

Kind of like his old man.

Jack straightened and stared hard into the mirror. Just as quickly, he looked away, afraid he might see a trace of the man he once used to be.

The past is dead and gone. Can’t change it. Just got to deal with it.
He’d been giving himself that line for three decades and, one of these days it was bound to sink in.

Sitting on the edge of his bed, Jack put on his athletic shoes and tied the laces. Between Logan living here and talking about the Lord all the time and Allie returning to town last week, stirring up all kinds of trouble, Jack’s tightly reigned in emotions had begun to slip.

But he wasn’t about to allow that to happen.

Jack slid his wallet off the top of polished bureau and pocketed it. Car keys in hand, he headed for the side door, leading into the attached garage. He had a sneaking suspicion that Allie would be at the picnic this afternoon, which made him dread the outing all the more. That woman had a lot of nerve, showing up after all these years.

And she said she was sorry…

His jaw muscle flexed as he climbed into his black, Ford
Explorer
. Sorry didn’t even begin to cut it, and he viewed Allie’s words of contrition to that of a rapist apologizing to his victim years later. No, there were just some things in life a person couldn’t take back―and didn’t he know that firsthand!

Well, regardless, he’d show up at this picnic today―Allie or no Allie. Jack had given his word to Logan. He’d make an appearance just to prove that he, unlike Allie Drake―make that
Littenberg
―kept his promises.

* * *

The sunshine warmed Marilee’s face, neck, and arms as she sat beside Mrs. Littenberg at the picnic table. Off in the distant part of the back yard, Logan had set up a volley ball net for the kids.

“I hope he doesn’t want me to play. I’m exhausted.” Marilee turned from watching Logan to face the attractive blond beside her. “After the first week of school, my third graders succeeded in tuckering me right out.”

“You’re just out of practice.” Mrs. Littenberg smiled. “You’ll soon be back into the swing of things.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“Call me Allie.
Mrs. Littenberg
has always been my mother-in-law. Besides, I’ve never been big on formalities.”

Marilee smiled. “Okay, but don’t you like sharing your mother-in-law’s name?”

“Oh, well…” Allie hedged. “I wasn’t ever close to my mother-in-law, but she’s a terrific grandmother to my son, Nick. Spoils him rotten.

“Is she a Christian?”

“No, but amazingly enough, she and my father-in-law financially support Nick’s ministry.”

“Your son’s in the ministry?” Marilee found the news a pleasant surprise.

“Yes, and I’m so very proud of him, as you probably can tell.” Allie laughed softly. “Except, Nick’s talking about becoming a missionary to Germany―that’s where his father and grandparents are from. I would really hate to see him and his darling wife go.”

“I can understand that.” Marilee tipped her head and regarded the other woman whose eyes were such a vibrant blue that they rivaled the cloudless sky above. “Does your daughter-in-law like to be called Mrs. Littenberg?”

“Probably not.”Allie laughed. “Although, she and I have a special relationship―and she and my son are in love and very happily married. I guess therein lies the difference.”

Marilee opened her mouth to ask another question, but before a single word could escape, a large man in a pink and green Hawaiian shirt descended upon them.

“I’m Paul Baer,” he said. “I’m Steve and Nora’s next door neighbor.”

“Nice to meet you,” Allie replied with a polite and dignified air. “I’m Allie Littenberg and this is Marilee…”

“Domotor,” Marilee quickly put in. “A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Baer.”

“Well, thanks, ladies.” His jovial grin produced dozens of tiny crinkles around his small, dark eyes and he pulled up a lawn chair. It creaked beneath his enormous weight as he sat down and Marilee feared the netting would burst. However, Mr. Baer didn’t seem the least bit worried as he raked beefy fingers through his jet-black hair.

“My wife passed a few months ago,” he announced, his smile fading to a frown, “and so when Steve invited me over this afternoon, I decided to take him up on his offer. It’s been real hard on me, having my wife gone, you know? I mean after being married for twenty-nine years, I’m suddenly a bachelor again.”

Marilee gave the man a sympathetic grin then looked over at Allie whose features were etched with compassion.

“I’m very sorry for your loss, Mr. Baer,” Allie said.

“Oh, you can call me Paul.” His grin returned. “And, thanks…I mean for being sorry and all. It’s real hard.”

“I can imagine. My husband died about eleven years ago.”

“Really? So you know what I’m going through.”

“I’m afraid I do.” Allie’s gaze fell to the grass.

“I didn’t realize you’re a widow,” Marilee said.

Allie replied with a tiny smile and a nod of her blond head.

“How’d he die?” Mr. Baer leaned forward.

Marilee felt a twinge of embarrassment for Allie who’d just been put on the spot.

But she replied very matter-of-factly, “He was in a yachting accident in South America.”

“Goodness!” Marilee pulled her chin back. “The tragedy happened in another country? That had to be terribly complicated as well as devastating.”

“Not really. My husband was an art dealer, and…well, he dealt in other things too. Things that weren’t legal. His lifestyle caught up to him.”

“Wow, sounds like a double-O-seven flick.” Mr. Baer slapped the knee of his huge khaki pants and hooted.

Allie laughed as well. “Hardly double-O-seven.”

“Were you there?” Marilee couldn’t help asking. “When the accident occurred?” After a pause, she quickly amended. “If I’m out of line asking such a thing―”

“It’s quite all right.” Allie touched the top of Marilee’s hand. “No, I wasn’t there when it happened. I never accompanied my husband on his
business
trips. But I was forced to help the authorities after his death. They searched our home and everything in it looking for evidence. For a time, they even thought I was part of Erich’s illegal operation and I had FBI agents following me everywhere. But Erich never told me anything, and I was as shocked as everyone else to learn what he’d gotten involved in. I guess you might say that my case, ignorance was truly bliss.”

“Still, that had to be a very trying time,” Marilee declared.

“Actually, no. I knew I had nothing to hide and that God would protect me. And He did. It was more a gross inconvenience than anything else.”

“Steve and Nora talked to my wife about God before she died,” Paul said. “It was a real comfort to her, I know.”

Marilee smiled at the man, then glanced out over the backyard to where Logan was assembling a small group for volleyball. Their gazes met and Marilee’s insides turned to mush the way they always did when Logan looked at her.

“Marilee,” he called, “c’mon over. Game’s about to start.”

Despite her fatigue, Marilee couldn’t find it in her heart to refuse the request. She loved Logan so much that she’d play volleyball until she dropped if it meant she could spend time with him.

“I guess volleyball’s in my future after all.” She glanced at Allie and stood.

“Have fun.”

“Thanks.”

As Marilee walked away, she heard Mr. Baer start up the discussion about his deceased wife again. She died of cancer. She’d been sick for a long while. He’d been doing all the laundry for the past six months, but he still didn’t know how to cook very well…

Marilee’s heart went out to the man. She glanced over her shoulder to gauge Allie’s reaction and saw that she sat patiently by with an expression of sympathy on her face as Mr. Baer unburdened himself. Some women might make excuses to get away from the burly neighbor, but Allie stayed put.

“You okay, Marilee?”

Feeling a set of hands on her shoulders she whirled her gaze around and realized she’d nearly run right into Logan.

She smiled up into his face. “Yeah, I’m okay.”
Especially now
. She stepped closer to him.

“Well, all right then.” Logan hesitated before releasing her. “Game’s on.”

* * *

“Who’s the dude following Allie around like a puppy?” Jack couldn’t help asking his brother before taking another bite of his grilled bratwurst.

“Oh, that’s Paul Baer, our next door neighbor. His wife died not too long ago, and he’s really lonely.”

“He’s been making a pest out of himself with Allie for the past hour,” Nora commented softly from the other side of the picnic table next to Steve. “But Allie’s being a good sport about it.”

“The guy talks nonstop,” Steve added. “But he’s all right.”

“Hmm…” Jack allowed his gaze to roam the backyard. Near a volley ball net, he spotted Logan and his girlfriend sitting on the grass, eating their lunch. Steve and Nora’s three kids surrounded them. Allie sat a ways away in a lawn chair with her new-found friend practically fastened to her side.

Good.
Jack forked some potato salad into his mouth
. At least she’s keeping her distance from me.