Paisley's Pattern (10 page)

“No, but I could use some brawn on that basement. It's beyond my physical capabilities.” She reached for his hand. “Come with me, please. Do you have gloves?”

He set down a tool, grabbed a pair of worn leather gloves, and stuffed them in a back pocket. He wrapped his hand around hers and let her lead him.

She released his hand and raced down, glad for his company. “I've never seen anything like this. I don't know where to start. What do you think?”

He fingered his hair, let it fall back in place, and measured the task. “No idea if there's enough trash here for a roll-off dumpster. We have to start somewhere. Tell you what, let's clear a path to the window. I'll see if I can unhinge it so it opens all the way.”

“This is a disaster area compared to the stuff in the shed. Everything is neat and in its place out back.”

“It's a mess. I'm going to fall back on some brotherly love and let Oren know he can't expect you to tackle this by yourself.” His arm was still raised, fingers digging the back of his neck. “If I were to guess, Oren has no idea. He already had his own home when his mother died. No doubt Mark started putting stuff out of sight he thought he could use some day, and then it reached a point he didn't know what to do with it all.”

“Sounds plausible. I can't imagine a woman taking this path to the laundry room. At least I'm guessing that a washer and dryer are around that far corner. I saw no hook-up anywhere else in the house.”

“Maybe he quit taking the path as well, according to Edna Mae's comments about his cleanliness. Curious why she hasn't talked about all this.”

“It's sad in a way, to see how things can get so out of hand. And thanks, it is too much for just me. Aunt Rainbow never mentioned the basement, she may not have come down these steps.”

He shimmied to the wall, using his feet to slide paper and plastic sacks out of the way. “Looks as though the basement floor was used for a trash can. Let me open this window further. I'll also ask Edna Mae if we can borrow a couple plastic crates. You can load ‘em with light stuff, then push them through the window and outside. Then I can dump what we're tossing right into the garbage cans. I'll find out from Oren where to get big boxes to hold the overflow.”

“Thanks for dropping what you were doing to help me. Clean-up will be easier with you helping. And taking stuff out through the window so I don't have to climb the stairs carrying a thousand loads is brilliant. Thank you.”

He folded his arms above her waist and pulled her close. “What can I say? I'll jump at any chance to be in close quarters with a beautiful woman.”

His kiss shut off her brain and consumed her logic.

Her legs went wobbly.

Thank the Lord Rob held her up. He didn't let her go until her feet were steady.

“My goodness,” her voice shook, “I should have asked for your help a long time ago.”

“You've got it now. Who knows? This may be like a scavenger hunt, and we'll unearth boxes within boxes of secret wealth.”

“Uh huh. Good thing neither of has allergies. Go get those tools.”

He reached behind the bottom step and grabbed three pairs of grimy, muddy boots. “I'll toss these. We have to start somewhere.”

Would the melding of their labor bridge the gap of what had been missing between the two of them?

She snorted, sneezed, and then laughed anew at the absurdity of it all.

Time to take a stab at it. A newer model bicycle, scattered tables and plant stands, a couple television sets, vacuums, fans, and rolled up rugs cluttered the room. No one was hurt by the build-up. Yet, she couldn't help but wonder how a firefighter would react to the mess.

Rob pounded down the stairs. He opened the window wider and slanted a board for a ramp, eliminating the need to lift the crates.

She slid them up. He grabbed them from outside and dumped.

In mere minutes, he swung down the stairs and announced the trash cans were full. “Step aside, my oversized dust bunny. I'll put this window back in. We'll wash up, and then I'll buy you a coffee.”

Paisley basked in the relaxed atmosphere of the cab pickup. Rob had never been so unencumbered. What had happened? If he'd behaved this way in California, they might be married by now. The clouds had somehow lifted from his countenance, and a new light erased strain. His eyes even held a glint of teasing.

So what was holding her back from falling into the spell of his welcome offer of an unspoken togetherness? Doubt? Fear?

 

~*~

 

Rob made a quick stop at the grocery store for boxes.

The intensity of their kiss had short-circuited his head. He was positive they'd both been taken by surprise. He parked at the curb in front of Edna Mae's because a big farm truck was backed onto the drive of the Waverly house.

Oren waved at them with a smile and Sara peeked through slats framing the truck bed.

“Wait.” He stayed Paisley's hand from opening the passenger door. “I owe you an apology going back to as long as we've known each other.”

She gave him a questioning look.

“I've always been jealous of people like you. Happy people.” He tapped her on the nose, ran his fingers through her hair, catching a whiff of her shampoo. She usually smelled like flowers. He smoothed the locks over her shoulder. “You seem to be too happy to be real, unless I've done something to make you sad. I'm a Christian but I've only felt happy during sporadic moments. For instance, how good we are together. That is, if you and I aren't at odds.”

She reached for his hand, laced their fingers.

“I've often felt I live in a dungeon, except when I'm working. I've chosen to live that way. But something has changed inside me since I've been here. The way Oren and Nora and Sara have accepted and welcomed me is almost too much. Discovering I am Mark Waverly's son has opened a whole world of uncharted freedom for me.” He gave her hand a squeeze and voiced a raspy chuckle. “I'm not used to saying so much, especially from the heart. Sara's getting ready to jump off the tailgate of the truck. I imagine she'll run our way, but I'm not done.”

Rob released her hand. “They'll have to wait. I dug into my Bible last night. Edna Mae has something to do with that. I was struck by the knowledge we are both believers. That means we are in Christ and He is in us. I ran across the phrase ‘one another' in a few verses. It revealed to me that's us. Believers, meaning you and me, are in one another. I love Jesus with all my heart. You are both part of me. I have mistreated you and that can't go on. Here comes Sara.”

The girl skidded to a stop, slapping her hands against Paisley's door. “What's taking you guys so long? Miss Edna Mae called Dad and said we have to help Paisley. So come on, Uncle Rob, we have work to do.”

“I can't tell if that's good timing or bad.” Paisley shot him a smile. Then she turned and opened her door.

Oren greeted Rob with a fist bump, but spoke to Paisley. “Nora and I are sorry you had to jump into downstairs. We really expected to get to that mess but things happened sooner than we were ready. You running across those pictures filled my mind with my brother. I hadn't gone downstairs. There's a whole bunch more piled up than I had guessed.”

Time and progress commingled with two able-bodied men. They cleared one corner, wiped down shelves, and created a place for tagged items. Small, repairable furniture, including a black-walnut magazine rack with a broken leg and picture frames went out back for Rob's attention. He dropped the goods and was on his way downstairs again.

Paisley was talking to Sara. “There's even a town in Nebraska called Waverly.”

“How, in the midst of all that's in this dirty basement, would you know that?” He shook his head. He opened a tub lid and discovered plumbing connectors and pipes in their original packaging. He hesitated before delving in.

“I went and got a map from the visitors' center.” Paisley swept hair that had escaped her ponytail out of her eye. She'd finally found a job dirty enough to pull back her hair. “See, if it's worth naming a town, the Waverly name is valuable.”

“Then how come I had to go all these years with a handle like Paisley?” He posed the question without anger.

“You don't like my name, huh?”

“I've never said such a thing or even thought it.”

“Paisley is a beauuuuuutiful name. I asked Mom what it means and she showed me pictures on the computer. It's as old as Bible times.” Sara hugged Paisley's waist. “I love your name.”

“Thank you. I'm rather partial to it myself.”

My mom thought it was worth keeping
. Rob blew dust from inside the tub bottom. “Your name suits you just fine. You're a lady. You deserve a fancy swirly-shaped name that makes others think of beauty and softness.”

Paisley whirled and, over Sara's head, gave him a doe-eyed look of promise. “That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me.”

They returned to their tasks with noisy vigor, shuffling through every container, tossing trash into sacks for Sara to tote, or filling boxes and crates. They stacked salable items in the general direction of the metal storage unit for Paisley to later tag.

“I hope you realize our opinion of a name, our given names, doesn't matter,” Paisley said. “God has chosen new names for us to have in heaven. What names we go by here on earth may fade without recall.”

Sara announced, “I'm going outside to see if Dad needs help.”

“Here's a sack to carry up, please. You've been a big help today.” Rob sidled next to Paisley. “And how did you discover such a fact?”

“I've been spending my own time in the Bible. It bothered me when you kept saying I moved before I had the chance to dedicate my life to a relationship. And you're right about not giving you my all. I've believed, but somewhere along the line I've discovered I had never really committed myself to the Lord.”

So how could you fully commit to me?

The words floated in the air between them, bouncing around like disturbed dust.

 

 

 

 

9

 

Paisley was more than ready to call it a day.

Nora stopped by the house at five thirty. “Just look at what you have accomplished. I'm impressed. And I have a fun ending for a hard work day for us all. How do hot dogs or nachos, hot chocolate, and popcorn sound for supper? It's high school football night.”

“That'll be a novelty for me, football with a chill in the air,” Paisley rubbed her nose and nudged Rob. “But I'll need a shower first. We all do, even Sara.”

“I agree. Covered that for you, too, honey,” Nora told Oren. “I stopped at home and brought you a change of clothes and your shower soap. Towel as well, so you can clean up here. I lugged a coat in my car for Rob, too.”

“What about me, Mom?”

“I have your warm clothes, don't worry. You won't need to shampoo but I have your pink bubbly so you'll smell sweet again.”

“Oh, goody. Maybe Emerald will be at the game. Her big brother plays football,” Sara added. “Do I get money to pick out my own candy? And a lollypop?”

“Yes.” Nora herded Sara into the bathroom to get ready.

Paisley shut off lights in the basement and walked home. The gusting breeze cooled her overexerted body and revived her mind. She hurried into the house anticipating the night ahead and flipped on the radio. “There will be a good time at the area games tonight, folks. The local weather forecast includes a chilly north wind. Remember, cold from those aluminum bleacher seats can go right to the bone. By the end of the third quarter, you'll need an extra layer or two, so don't forget to wrap up.”

Forgive me, Aunt Rainbow, I'll need to open a drawer or two for warm clothes
.

After a shower, she rummaged in the kitchen until she grabbed a protein packed trail mix.

Rob appeared at the door.

Paisley was glad she had rushed, but the tights under her jeans were hot. She held up a pair of gloves. “Do I really need these?”

“You might be surprised out in open-air bleachers. Better to have them along than to get chilled.”

She stuffed the gloves into a pocket and slipped into a heavy, hooded white sweatshirt. “Thanks,” she said, as she shrugged on the sleeve Rob held.

Unfettered excitement filled the air as they got their tickets at the gate. A crowd dressed in colors that showed allegiance surrounded them. Norfolk fans wore maroon. The opposing team followers showed up in bright green and white.

Above the noise and jubilation of the crowd, the sense of community almost made her break down. There was a comfortable sense of feeling at home where she belonged, in a town situated in the middle of the country, so far removed from her roaming California roots.

God had brought her here. God had brought Rob here.

In the midst of Rob's new family, she couldn't imagine being anywhere else. If Rob looked at his surroundings with an open heart, nothing could prevent him from contributing to his own sense of peace in this place.

Oren led the group close to the top of the bleachers near the announcer's booth.

Nora handed Rob a maroon plaid stadium blanket. “You two sit on this. We like to park our bods up here because some of the wind is blocked behind us by the booth.”

Sara remained standing. “I want to eat now, Dad.”

“Say please and we'll see to it.”

Rob stood. “I'll help. What do you ladies want from concessions?”

“I'll have popcorn later, thanks,” Paisley said. “Only water for now.”

“Nachos and water for me,” Nora added.

Oren's coat stretched tight across Rob's thicker back and shoulders.

Paisley kept her gaze on him, followed him out of sight.

“Scenery's got you tongue tied, I can tell,” Nora teased. “Oren said last night he'd never be able to repay you for coming here and bringing Rob home and our gratitude for going through Mark's things.”