A Very Special Delivery (7 page)

She didn’t answer and his stomach sank deeper. He liked her.
Thought she liked him. Had he been wrong about that?

“Doc Jamison did a nice job on that cut.” To everyone’s relief,
no permanent damage appeared to be done and, if all went well, the cut would
heal in a week or two.

“He’s a good doctor.”

“A good man, too. He teaches the singles’ class at church.”

“Yeah, I know,” she said in a funny, faraway voice.

“You do?”

“I used to attend that class.”

“No kidding? I’ve never seen you there. Why did you stop
going?”

She shrugged and he could tell the story, whatever it was,
bothered her. “My family attends the Chapel.”

Now he was more curious than ever. She wouldn’t let him contact
her family, and she didn’t attend church because they were there. “What’s wrong
with that?”

“Nothing. I’m glad they go, but my sister and I have some—” she
gnawed at her lip, expression stark as she searched for the right word
“—unresolved issues. So it’s better if I stay away.”

He didn’t like the sound of that. If not for his parents, he’d
have gone nuts during the last year and a half. And though he’d messed up
Laney’s opportunity to have a strong nuclear family, he was thankful for the
extended family that would sustain her. Family was everything.

“Want to talk about it?”

“No.” Molly turned her face away and leaned down to tap at the
cat carrier on the floor.

He wondered if her family problems had anything to do with her
anxiety around Laney? Someday he’d find out. “If you’ll tell me your aunt’s
address, I’ll drop you off before I go to the store.”

“On Cedar Street in the senior citizens’ housing complex.”

“I know some folks there. Which one is your aunt?”

“Patsy Bartlett in apartment six.”

The name and address were as familiar to him as his own. Patsy
Bartlett was one of the many people in this warm and wonderful town who had
taken a single father under their wings.

“I know her. She’s a great lady. More outspoken than anybody
I’ve ever met.”

“That’s my great-aunt Patsy. If you don’t want the truth, don’t
ask her.”

“Well, how about that? You and Miss Patsy are related.”

The fact that Ethan knew her aunt Patsy didn’t surprise Molly
in the least. Her father’s aunt still attended Winding Stair Chapel and had a
way of collecting friends from every age bracket and walk of life. Naturally,
she would draw Ethan and Laney into her fold.

Though the idea didn’t surprise her, it did bother her. In such
a short time, she’d gotten to know Ethan Hunter better than she knew most people
after months of acquaintance. But their friendship needed to end here, today.
With Aunt Patsy in the picture, staying away from Ethan and his daughter might
be harder than she’d thought.

Staring out the windshield at the piles of dirty snow and ice
pushed to either side of the street, she shifted in the seat, moving her
bandaged leg with care.

Ethan glanced her way. “Are you hurting?”

His concern sent that now-familiar warmth drifting through her.
She wished she wasn’t so susceptible to him. “No. The leg’s still numb.”

“That won’t last much longer.”

“I know,” she said. But a throbbing leg didn’t worry her. The
unsteady condition of her emotions did.

Ethan’s questions about her family stirred up a much worse kind
of pain. And to make matters worse, she yearned to talk to him, to let his cool
reason and strong shoulders help her carry the awful load of guilt.

But Laney’s happy babble from the back reminded Molly that
confiding in Ethan was impossible. Totally impossible.

With heavy heart, she turned her attention back to the restless
cat.

In moments, Ethan pulled the van alongside the curb in front of
apartment six.

The front door swung open and Aunt Patsy’s jolly, apple-cheeked
face appeared in the doorway. Molly’s mood lightened. Aunt Patsy was a tonic to
anyone’s wounds, be they physical or emotional. She strained forward in the
seat, but from her spot on the opposite side of the van Patsy didn’t
notice her.

“Ethan Hunter, where have you been?” Aunt Patsy scolded, but
the smile on her face said she wasn’t the least bit angry. “I’ve been worried
about you.”

Ethan gave Molly a wink and shoved the door open with his
shoulder.

“I brought you a present,” he called as he hopped out and went
around to the passenger side.

“Don’t think another of your presents is going to get you off
the hook this time, young man. Where’s that baby?”

“Right here, Miss Patsy. I’ll bring her up first.”

Opening the storm door a crack, the old lady peered toward the
van. “Who’s that you got with you?”

“The surprise.” Gingerly, he made his way to the apartment and
turned the jabbering Laney over to Miss Patsy. “Be right back.”

Patsy disappeared inside the apartment and returned to the door
empty-handed.

Molly suppressed a giggle at Ethan’s game. She couldn’t cross
the frozen yard on her own, so she sat still and waited for his help.

Sliding a little on the frozen grass, Ethan laughed as he
returned to the van. Molly pushed the door open.

“Easy now,” he said as he looped an arm around her waist and
assisted her to the ground.

With little feeling in one leg, her balance was off and she
slid a bit.

“I’ve got you,” he said, blue eyes shining down at her in a way
that made her wish it was so.

“Thanks,” was all she could manage as they navigated the slick
surface.

The minute they rounded the front of the brown van, Miss Patsy
recognized her, saw the bandage, and set up a fuss.

“Oh, my darling girl is hurt. What’s happened?” She shoved the
storm door wide. “Get in this house right now.”

“I’m okay, Auntie. Don’t fret.” Assisted by Ethan’s strong arm,
Molly hobbled through the door to the small mauve couch and eased down. “Ethan
took me to the ER and I’m all patched up now.”

“Ethan did?” Patsy bustled around the sofa, pushing pillows
behind Molly. “Don’t suppose that should surprise me any, the way he looks after
folks around here.”

Hadn’t Dr. Jamison said something similar? As she settled back
onto the couch, she looked up at Ethan, curious.

He gave an answering shrug. “Miss Patsy and the other ladies
are the ones who do the looking after. I’d starve to death if they didn’t feed
me once in a while.”

Molly could see he was downplaying her aunt’s compliment. She
gingerly slid both hands under her knee and lifted her wounded leg onto a
pillow.

“Nonsense,” Patsy said. “A meal now and again is nothing
compared with all the handyman jobs he does around here. Last week he fixed my
leaky faucet and cleaned out Margie’s chimney so she’d quit fretting about the
house burning. It’s always something around these apartments, and Ethan’s
Johnny-on-the-spot if we need him. We old people can’t do everything we once
could.”

Molly’s esteem for the delivery man, already high, went up
another disturbing notch.

“Aunt Patsy, you’ll never be old.”

“Tell that to my knees.” To prove the point, she shuffled to an
ancient recliner, grasped the arms, and sat. “My hinges are plum worn out.”

“The knees may give you trouble, Miss Patsy, but you’ve got
enough heart to go on forever,” Ethan said.

Patsy chuckled and shook her head toward Molly. “See how he
goes on? Got all us old hens clucking over him and his chick.” She stretched her
arms out. “Give me that baby.”

Ethan lifted the kicking Laney from her carrier and placed her
in the older woman’s arms. “We ran out of plastic diapers. She might get you
wet.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time. That one there,”
she
indicated Molly, “did the same when she was a tyke.”

“Aunt Patsy!” Molly lifted up, mortified.

“Oh, sorry. Some things shouldn’t be told.” But the sparkle in
her aunt’s eye said she wasn’t sorry at all. She held Laney to her ample bosom
and patted the diapered behind while rocking back and forth. “I’ve had you on my
mind—and on God’s mind, too—ever since this weather started. Worst ice storm
I’ve seen in years. I knew something wasn’t right out at the farm. No phone. No
way of getting out there. And no word from anybody. What happened?”

Between the two of them, Molly and Ethan told the story while
Patsy rocked and patted, rocked and patted. Molly envied how natural her aunt
was with the child. She had been like that once.

“I don’t like to think,” Ethan concluded, “what might have
happened if Molly hadn’t taken us in that night.”

Patsy waved the notion away. “I wouldn’t expect her to do any
less. That’s the way she was raised. Take care of your neighbors.”

“I would have been in a fix without Ethan, too, Auntie. The
electric line across the garage probably would have killed me if Ethan hadn’t
been there to notice the danger.”

Patsy stopped rocking. “I should have known the Lord would work
everything out. And sure enough, he put you two together to look after one
another.” She resumed rocking. “What a blessing.”

For Aunt Patsy, life was that simple. Either something was the
Lord’s will or it wasn’t. Molly wished her faith was as strong and trusting.
Instead she constantly wrestled with the “whys” and “what ifs” of life.

Ethan stood and took the now-sleeping baby from Patsy’s fleshy
arms, placing the infant in her carrier. “Much as I enjoy you ladies’ company,
Laney and I have to make a grocery run.”

Disappointment stirred in Molly, but she refused to acknowledge
the emotion, naming it relief instead. He needed to go, she told herself. To
take his precious child as far away from her as possible.

Patsy pushed out of her recliner and bent to kiss Laney’s
forehead before snugging the blankets around her. “You bring that baby back over
here anytime she needs a good huggin’.”

“Only if you promise to call if you need anything.”

“You got a deal.” She patted his arm and moved toward the small
kitchenette where the scent of stewing chicken filled the air. “Gotta check on
my dinner. You sure you won’t stay?”

“Wish I could.” He started for the door, then stopped and
turned to Molly. The look in his eyes did funny things to her insides. “I can go
to the pharmacy and get your prescription filled if you’d like.”

She shook her head. “No need. Gary delivers.”

For the first time since she’d met him, he seemed
uncomfortable. An uneasy feeling crept over her. Why didn’t he just go?

“Look, Molly, I—” He hesitated. “I really appreciate all you’ve
done for me and Laney.”

“We’ve been over all that, Ethan. The relationship was
symbiotic.”

His lips twitched. “Symbiotic or not, I’d like to take you to
dinner as repayment.”

A knot formed in her stomach. “No repayment necessary.”

His gaze traveled to the kitchenette where Patsy banged pot
lids, then came back to rest on Molly’s face.

“I’d like to see you again,” he said, voice quiet.

A lump formed in Molly’s throat. She didn’t want him to want to
see her. The temptation was great, but the danger was even greater.

“I don’t think so, Ethan.” She spoke as gently as she could but
knew the words would sting. They’d shared much. Seeing each other again would be
the normal, ordinary thing to do. But regardless of how much she wanted to know
him better, nothing in her life was normal anymore.

A spot on her calf began to ache. She leaned up, rubbing at it
to avoid Ethan’s earnest gaze. “You’re nice to ask, but I can’t. I…” Her voice
trailed off.

She couldn’t tell him the truth—that she was afraid to see him
again. Afraid of having a panic attack. Afraid of what might happen to Laney.

Afraid of her feelings.

Except for Aunt Patsy’s clatter—a clatter that seemed louder
than usual—the apartment grew quiet. She picked at the white tape with a
fingernail.

Finally, Ethan broke the silence. “Well, it’s been an
adventure,” he said. “Believe it or not, I enjoyed myself.”

“Me, too,” she admitted. And she had—most of the time.

Looking up, she caught the puzzled hurt in his blue eyes and
hated herself for putting it there. His expression spoke volumes. If she liked
him, if she’d enjoyed their time, why wouldn’t she see him again?

Because she couldn’t risk him ever finding out.

* * *

Ethan was barely out of sight when Aunt Patsy shuffled
in from the kitchen, dish towel in hand and said, “Why did you turn him down
like that, child? He’s a nice young man.”

“Don’t start, Auntie. You know where I stand on the subject.
Ethan has a baby. And that’s the end of it as far as I’m concerned.”

Patsy perched on the edge of the sofa. “Honey, I love you and
I’ve watched you suffer for two years over this. But you have to let go. Give it
to God.”

Molly squeezed her eyelids together. “I wish I could.”

“You can. What happened to our little Zack was a tragedy. You
and your sister have to get over it and move on with your lives.”

Get over it. If only it was that easy. But the horror was
seared into her memory like a brand, too deep to heal.

Irrational. Phobic. Obsessive. Molly knew all the terms, for
what little good that did.

“You think I’m neurotic, too.”

“I do no such thing,” Aunt Patsy breathed, indignant. “You’ve
lived through something awful. Anyone not affected by that is made of ice. But,
honey, you can’t keep living in fear this way. Fear is the opposite of
faith.”

Distressed, Molly sank deeper into the couch. She didn’t want
to be afraid. She didn’t want to be alone. But avoiding danger was the only way
to keep the panic at bay.

Aunt Patsy didn’t understand. She hadn’t been the one to find
Zack’s limp and lifeless body in his crib. She hadn’t been suspected by the
police and accused by her own family.

“Are you turning against me, too?”