Second Chance Cafe (8 page)

Still, she pulled together what energy she had left and sent her mother a text before leaving to grab a drive-through breakfast sandwich. She then drove over to her parents’ home, feeling a tad guilty she hadn’t been around as much during the past few weeks. With Mandy’s labor and delivery, and then Maggie’s unexpected preterm labor and delivery, Isa felt as though she’d been living in a whirlwind lately. A whirlwind that seemed to revolve around babies. She pulled into the driveway, shocked to see Leo’s car. The sight sent alarm into her chest. She ran to the house and used her key to get in.

“Mom?” she called out. Her mother poked her head around the kitchen and put a finger to her lips. Isa lowered her voice, dropped her purse and rushed to the kitchen. Leo sat at the table drinking a cup of coffee.

“Isa, we were waiting for you. Dad’s taking a nap,” he said, motioning for her to sit next to him. She poured herself a cup of coffee and sat at the table. Her mother sat across from them.

“I called Leo this morning and asked him to come by after I received your text, Isabella,” her mother explained. “I want to talk to both of you.”

Isa felt her heart plummet.
Not more bad news. Please, God.

“At your father’s doctor appointment yesterday, Dr. Rosas recommended we consider brain surgery.”

“Deep brain stimulation,” Isa surmised, letting the notion sink in.

“After speaking with Dr. Rosas, I want Gabriel to have the surgery. She thinks he’s a good candidate.”

“I want to talk with her,” Isa said.

“So do I,” Leo echoed.

Their mother nodded. “I figured as much. We can schedule an appointment to speak with Dr. Rosas. Gabriel’s symptoms are getting worse and the medications aren’t helping as much. If surgery could help with the symptoms…well, I think it’s worth a try.”

“Does Dad want to do it?” Isa asked.

“Absolutely.”

Isa and Leo exchanged a glance. She could see the hope in Leo’s face.

“I’ll call Dr. Rosas to schedule a meeting to discuss it, Mom,” Isa said.

Once she got home, Isa pulled on her pajamas and hopped into bed, knowing her body needed rest. She tossed and turned, trying to get her thoughts to slow down. She finally woke after hours of restless sleep, thankful to have slept at all. Her mind couldn’t seem to stop racing. The clock above the mantle told her it was after 5:00 p.m. She took a hot shower and then plugged in her laptop, determined to research brain stimulation for Parkinson’s patients. An hour flew by as she read articles and surfed different medical sites. For the most part, she felt encouraged by what she’d read. The procedure wasn’t too invasive and had a good success rate for helping Parkinson’s patients. She knew that nothing short of divine healing would cure her father, but any relief for the symptoms would be welcome.

Isa felt the urge to pray for her dad, for the doctors, for wisdom all around. But she didn’t quite know what to say. The inclination to pour out her heart before God startled her, and her immediate reaction was to hold back.

I don’t want to be disappointed. With God, with relationships, with my dad’s health, with everything—I keep battling disappointment.

She sat at her kitchen table, recognizing and acknowledging the underlying reason for her apprehension. A steady stream of disappointment had killed her hope.

Chapter 10

A
bead of sweat fell to the table where Ethan was lying on his stomach the following Wednesday morning, receiving massage therapy after having finished the exercises lined up for him during their session.

“I’m guessing that hurts pretty badly, Ethan. Talk to me,” Keira ordered.

“Yeah,” he panted. “It’s still hurting. The pain meds help, but I wish I didn’t have to be so dependent on them just to get through the day.”

Keira frowned. “Isaac is going to come take a look at you as soon as he finishes up with his current patient. I think we need to talk about your level of pain.”

For the next half hour, Ethan was poked and prodded and examined by Isaac and Keira while answering questions as honestly as he could about his progress, or lack thereof. Before Ethan left, Isaac informed him he’d be speaking with Ethan’s doctor soon about the appropriate next steps, which would include more testing.

He drove straight to the café afterward and eased out of the truck carefully. He stopped, holding on to the door for a moment.

God, I could really use Your help right now. I have a grand opening in days and I’m finding it hard to walk, stand, sit, not to mention cook.

With difficulty, Ethan spent the next two hours training his cooks on the new menu. He sat down as much as possible. He ended the session early and reached for his phone, wanting to hear Isabella’s voice.

“Ethan?” Isa answered. “Everything okay?”

He gritted his teeth. “Yeah, I’m all right. My back is sore today.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. I’m at the hospital right now. We’re about to meet with my father’s doctors.”

“Has something happened?” His heart felt as though it had plunged to his stomach.

“No, we’re just looking at options. I have to go.”

“Oh. Would you…? Do you want me to come over there? Is there anything I can do?”

“No, it’s a family thing. I can call you later.”

Ethan stared at the phone after Isa had hung up, the hurt from his back now spreading to his heart. He picked himself back up and decided to call Caleb. He might as well box up all the leftover food from the cooking sessions and send it over to the guys next door. He’d rather eat with the firefighters than have to go home to his empty studio.

* * *

Isa folded her arms and looked from her mother to Leo.

“I’m for it,” Leo said with conviction. “It could help. There are risks, yes, but right now Dad’s unhappier than ever with his condition. He needs relief from the symptoms. I know it’s not a cure. But it could
help.
”

“He wants to do it, Isabella,” her mother said.

Isa squeezed the bridge of her nose, wishing she knew what the outcome would be, wishing she knew the best course of action for her dad, for herself, for her family. “I know he does.”

“So are we in agreement, then?” Leo asked. “Do we move forward with the surgery?”

The three of them stood in Dr. Rosas’s office. After a lengthy consultation with the doctor, Isa, Leo and her mother were discussing the situation while Gabriel began a few tests. Isa paced the room. She stopped after a moment.

“I vote yes. If Dad wants the surgery, I vote yes. I’m very comfortable with Dr. Rosas, and she’ll be working closely with the neurology center every step of the way,” Isa yielded.

Her mother took a deep breath, her eyes lighting with an optimism that worried Isa.

“Mom, you heard the risks. And you know Dad will still have Parkinson’s. You understand that, right?”

Her mother nodded. “Of course I do. But if this surgery might improve his quality of life, it’s a chance I want for him.”

“All right, then. We’ll tell Dr. Rosas we want to do all the necessary tests to make sure Dad’s a good candidate for the surgery,” Isa said.

Her mom reached out for both Isa and Leo to take her hands.

“Let’s pray together.”

Isa closed her eyes and hoped God was listening.

* * *

Four days later Isa stood outside Redeemer Community Church, staring up at the large building.

“You made it!”

She turned to see a beaming Ethan walking up behind her.

“I told you I’d be here.” He walked up to her and Isa’s first thought was again of how
tall
Ethan was. Sometimes she felt as if he towered over her. She reminded herself to wear heels the next time they were together. Looking up at him, she was also reminded of how handsome he was. In just dark jeans and a shirt with the fire-station logo, he still made her heart rate accelerate. She tilted her head to the side, enjoying the view of Ethan.

“I know,” he said. “But I also know you worked the late shift last night unexpectedly. I wasn’t sure you’d have the energy to stay up.”

Isa held up a Grande-sized Starbucks cup. “I’m fueled for the moment. Just nudge me if I start to snore or something. I hate to turn down extra shifts. The additional money always helps.”

He led her into the church, assertively taking her hand in his. She liked the big open sanctuary and the easy friendliness of the churchgoers. Many knew Ethan and stopped to say hello to both of them. She knew they looked like a couple, walking around holding hands, standing so close to each other.

They sat together and Isa liked the fact that Ethan never let go of her hand. She couldn’t deny that he was beginning to feel more like a boyfriend than just a guy she casually dated. Even to her they seemed like a couple.

He brings me chocolate-stuffed croissants for breakfast.

When he kisses me, I’m almost sure I’m in love.

His blue eyes make me lose my train of thought at any given moment.

The list could go on. She chose not to think about it. Isa knew from experience that chemistry could happen with any number of guys. She needed more than chemistry.

She needed longevity.

The worship team began to sing and Isa tried to relax. She wasn’t sure why she felt so uneasy. For goodness’ sake, she’d been attending church for nearly as long as she’d been alive. Why, then, did she feel uneasy? She considered that it had been probably six months since she’d darkened the door of the church she normally attended with her parents.

It’s just been a while. I feel like something of a stranger to church, I guess.

The song leader paused between songs. He sat perched on a stool near the podium and smiled out at the congregation.

“Do you ever feel like you need a new song?”

Isa sat unmoving in her seat.

“I’m not just talking about a new worship song for us to learn. I’m talking about a new song in your heart. Have you ever felt completely dry, maybe discontent? Like you need something new, something fresh? You want to feel alive. You need a new song to well up inside you. But have you ever felt like you couldn’t find that song on your own? I have felt that way. Psalm 40:3 tells us that God can put a new song in our mouths and that many will see it and fear and trust in the Lord. Maybe you’re thinking that you can barely trust in God yourself, so no one is going to look at you and learn to trust in God.”

Isa stared down at her hands, blinking rapidly to hold back any wayward waterworks. But the room was quiet and she had to peek back up at the song leader. He had a knowing smile, a peaceful look in his eyes.

“You’d be surprised by what God can do.”

Isa tried to concentrate on flipping through the church newsletter she’d received upon entering the sanctuary. She hoped the worship part of the service would end quickly.

“For those of us feeling dry…I want to remind us all that Christ came that we might live abundantly. Dry and discontent are not your future. Don’t believe that. A new song is waiting to fill your heart.”

Even with her head down, her eyes glued to the newsletter, Isa had to struggle for breath. She thought of her dad. Even trapped in a body that wouldn’t let him do the things he wanted to do, he seemed more at peace than she felt.

The thought shamed her.

I don’t want to be here,
she told herself, though the words didn’t quite ring true with her heart. She didn’t like the guilty feelings that always seemed to accompany going to church. But something in her didn’t want to leave. Her soul felt parched.

A new song. A more abundant life. Dry and discontent.

Every word pricked her heart.

She glanced over at Ethan, prepared to whisper to him that she was feeling exhausted and needed to leave. But his eyes were on her, watching her seriously.

“You’re right where you need to be, Isa. Trust me,” he whispered in a low voice. She looked into those intense blue eyes. His hand tightened around hers and the ensnared sensation she’d felt wrap around her like a rope just moments before seemed to lessen as a result of the gentle pressure of Ethan’s strong hand.

Isa exhaled.

A new song.

I wish.

* * *

“Do you think you’d like to go again with me next week?” Ethan asked as they walked through the church parking lot together. He was unsure as to how Isa might respond.

She fiddled with the keys in her hand. “I’ll have to see.”

He just nodded. “Of course. It’s an open invitation, Isa.”

She stopped by her car. “I liked your church, Ethan. Really, I did.”

“It could be your church, too.”

She looked past him at the parking lot. “I should probably go home and sleep for a while.”

“Or,” Ethan began, “you could have lunch downtown with me. Your choice.”

She smiled Ethan’s favorite smile, the one filled with amusement and interest.

“My choice? Well, I’m not going to pass that up. Hop in my car and I’ll drive. I owe you a family dinner, Ethan.”

He didn’t even try to conceal his surprise. “Dinner with your family?”

“That’s right. We’re eating at Romano’s today. The family’s gathering in one of the banquet rooms at the Franklin Street location. Interested?”

Interested in being part of a real family dinner? Interested in Isa actually including him in a special family gathering? Interested in being with people rather than being alone?

He cleared his throat, trying to control his eagerness. “That sounds great, Isa. Thank you for inviting me.”

“No problem. You invited me first anyway. And I owe you a family dinner after how the last one you attended went.”

“To be fair, you warned me there’d be commotion,” Ethan said with a shrug.

Isa laughed. “True. But we don’t normally have women going into labor!”

Twenty minutes later Ethan followed Isa through the large Romano’s restaurant until they reached a spacious room, closed off, in the back. The room was bursting at the seams with people. Ethan recognized many from the short time he’d spent at Isa’s parents’ home the day Maggie had gone into labor. A buffet table lined the back wall and the smells of warm Italian dishes drifted through the room.

“Take Tony,” Mandy instructed. Isa’s sister-in-law walked up to Ethan and Isa. She grinned at Ethan.

“Ethan! So nice to see you,” Mandy said as she passed the baby to Isa. “I’m starving and Leo disappeared into the kitchen. They’re a bit short-staffed, so he’ll probably have to work. Grab a seat for me by you guys, would you?”

Ethan noticed that Isa looked thrilled to take the baby; she patted Tony’s back and whispered to him softly as Mandy joined the buffet line.

“Go make your plate, Ethan. I’ll find seats for us and Mandy,” Isa instructed.

Once his plate was nearly overflowing with lasagna, salad, chicken parmesan and mushroom ravioli, Ethan found Isa near the head of the table. She passed Tony to her mother while she went to the buffet. Left sandwiched between Isa’s mother and her sister-in-law, he tried to keep up with the myriad conversations around him. Isa’s mother often spoke in Italian to certain family members.

“It’s okay, Ethan,” Mandy said with a light smile. “You’ll get used to it. Leo sometimes rattles off to me in Italian and I don’t understand one word.”

Ethan shrugged, “I don’t mind. It must be nice to be part of such a large family.”

She looked at him thoughtfully. “Isa mentioned that you’re…well, not so used to a large family.”

He finished a bite of lasagna and wiped his mouth. “The firefighters of Company 51 are my family. But other than that—no, I don’t really have a family.”

He appreciated that she didn’t make a big deal out of it.

“You know what I think?” she said in a low voice.

He leaned close to hear her amid the noise.

“Families come in all shapes and sizes. The people in this room make up one of the most loving, beautiful families that I’ve ever seen. Not perfect, but they’re a picture of what I think family ought to be. They can make each other crazy, but they love each other like nothing I’ve ever seen before. The Romanos are special, Ethan. And if Isa brought you to family dinner today, she thinks you’re pretty special, too.”

He smiled at her, grateful for her words.

“She’s hard to read sometimes, you know?” Ethan said regarding Isabella.

Mandy laughed. “She’s a challenge. I’m guessing that’s part of why you like her.”

Ethan looked over at Isa by the buffet table. She stood with her hands on her hips, arguing with someone he was fairly certain was her cousin; the two girls looked so similar. Within seconds both girls were laughing and Isa’s bright smile lit up the corner of the room. She shook back her dark hair and Ethan was again taken aback by how beautiful she was.

He knew in that instant that he’d been waiting for a woman like Isabella Romano for a long time without even knowing it. For so long he hadn’t even been interested in dating. Work was his life. Fighting fires gave him fulfillment. He’d dated now and then—all the wives of his friends tended to try to set him up with their single girlfriends. But dating had always felt casual, and he’d intentionally kept it that way. But now…he wanted more. Maybe he’d wanted more for even longer than he realized.

And he wanted it with Isabella.

Her family just happened to be a bonus.

“Ethan,” Mandy said, interrupting his thoughts. He glanced over at her. “When I say Isa’s a challenge, I mean it. If you want to win her heart, you’ll have to dive in for the long haul. She’ll need proof.”