Mistletoe Bay (29 page)

Eli and Coop looked at each other. Neither looked comfortable in a room full of crying people.

“Okay, here's the plan,” Eli said, stepping up to take charge of the situation. “Coop and I will head into town and check out the shops and anywhere else we can think. With the two of us, we can cover double the ground.”

Coop nodded his approval.

“Jenni,” Eli continued, “could you please call the sheriff and just advise him to keep a lookout for Felicity. He'll probably want a description of what she might be wearing. I don't think there's anything he can really do just yet, but he'll notify his deputies. It will mean extra eyes out there looking for her.”

Jenni nodded and seemed to pull herself together. “I can do that. But keep in contact with us, and we'll call you if she shows up here.”

Coop gave Jenni a hug and a quick kiss. “We'll find her.”

Eli looked at his daughters. “I want you two to help Dorothy and Jenni take care of the boys until I get back, okay?”

Faith wiped her eyes. “Okay, Dad.”

“We'll play a game or something with them.” Hope held her younger sister's hand.

Faith cried harder as her lower lip trembled. “I'm sorry, Daddy. I didn't mean to make Felicity mad.”

“You didn't, sweetie.” Eli gave them both a hug. “It's not your fault. Call me if you need me. I'll be with Coop, okay?”

Both girls nodded their heads.

Dorothy wanted to die. Sweet, innocent Faith once again thought she had done something wrong to make someone run away—just like her own mother had done to her on her first day of school.

Eli gave Dorothy a long, concerned look but didn't pull her back into his arms before hurrying from the room to join Coop.

She slowly crumbled back onto the couch to do the hardest thing she had ever done in her life—wait.

Chapter Fifteen

Jenni glanced at the clock on the microwave; nine forty-eight p.m. and still no word on Felicity. Where in the world could her sister-in-law be? More important, whom was she with and was she okay? Sam had called five times within the past three hours. So far none of the kids from school had seen her, but he was still out looking.

Every horrible news report she had ever heard on missing teens came flooding back. She felt sick to her stomach.

She glanced over at Dorothy sitting at the kitchen table cradling a cup of lukewarm tea. The tears had finally stopped, but her mother-in-law's hands still trembled. Eli was trying to talk to her, but she had a feeling Dorothy wasn't listening.

Eli looked frustrated as all hell. She didn't blame the man.

The boys had all fallen asleep watching a movie with Hope and Faith earlier. She had carried Corey to his bed, but Tucker and Chase had to be awakened and prodded up the stairs and into their beds. She had managed to get their jeans and socks off, so they were sleeping in shirts and undies and hopefully having peaceful dreams. She doubted anyone else in the house would be.

Eli's girls were now out in the family room trying to straighten up the mess of Christmas decorations that had all been pulled from their boxes earlier. No one had felt like decorating the trees after Eli and Coop had left, so the boxes had been abandoned.

“What can I do to help?” asked Coop as he came up behind her to give Eli and Dorothy a bit more privacy.

A fresh pot of coffee was brewing, and she had lunch meat and cheeses sitting in front of her. Both Coop and Eli must be starving; they had checked everywhere in town and out of town for Felicity. No luck. They had been so determined to find the girl that they hadn't even stopped to pick something up for dinner.

“What kind of sandwich do you want?” She didn't even know if Coop liked mayonnaise or mustard. “You have to eat something.”

“I'll fix it. Why don't you go ask Eli what he wants?” Coop took the loaf of bread from her hands and set it on the counter. Coop's hands were gentle and warm as they cupped her cheek. “Don't worry, Jen, she's going to be okay.”

“How do you know?” She should have been more understanding with Felicity. She should have made more time. Ha, now there would have been a good trick—making time. There weren't enough hours in the day to do everything that needed to be done now. How was she going to make more time for Ken's little sister?

“Felicity's smart. She knew exactly where she was going and had it all planned out, Jen. Don't you see? She told you Thursday she wanted this afternoon off.” Coop pulled her into his arms.

She rested her head against his chest and listened to the strong, sure beat of his heart. Her hero had once again tried to come to her rescue. Granted, he hadn't found Felicity, but he had been there out searching everywhere and never once balked or passed judgment. She slipped her arms around his waist and held him tighter. “How can you stand this family?”

Coop's chest vibrated with his chuckle. “Oh, Jenni, my love, don't you understand yet?” He tilted up her chin so he was gazing into her eyes. “They're part of you. How could I not love them?”

She finally allowed herself to believe him. Coop loved her. All of her; crazy family and all. He wasn't going to go running and screaming into the night, dragging her broken heart behind him. Love for this man filled her heart.

The ringing of the telephone brought them both back crashing to the ground.

Dorothy flew out of her chair and ran to pick up the phone. Before it could ring twice, Dorothy had answered it. “Felicity?”

Jenni held out hope, but it was slim. Every time the phone rang tonight, it had been either Eli or Sam checking in to see if Felicity had come home. Since Eli was sitting at the kitchen table, it couldn't be him, but Sam was still out there searching.

She watched as Dorothy's face started to light up, only to be crushed.

“She doesn't want to talk to me, Mitch?”

Jenni frowned but noticed Eli and Coop were both glancing between Dorothy and her, so she filled them in. “Mitch is Dorothy's brother. He lives in Boston.” How in the world had Felicity ended up in Boston?

Both men mouthed the word “Boston.” She nodded and listened to Dorothy's end of the conversation. Mitch and Dorothy might be brother and sister, but they weren't really close. Mitch and his wife had six children, and though they were all in their twenties and thirties now, they all still relied on Mom and Dad to fix their problems. Mitch had his hands full. Dorothy and Mitch only saw each other for weddings and funerals.

“Bus?” Dorothy frowned harder. “Are you sure she's okay?”

Felicity must have taken the bus into Boston, then somehow made her way to her uncle's house.

“I see.” Dorothy had tears in her eyes but was holding up. “Mitch, thank you for being there for her, for me.” There was a brief pause. “Okay, I'll talk to you then. Could you please tell her I love her? That we all love her.” Another pause, and then, “Goodbye, and thanks.” Dorothy slowly hung up the phone.

“She's in Boston with Uncle Mitch?” Jenni asked.

Dorothy nodded but didn't take her gaze off the white wall phone. “He's making her something to eat and Karen's making up the sofa bed in the den for her. She's safe.”

Eli joined her by the phone. “Coop, can you call Sam and tell him she's safe and in Boston? Tell him I'll talk to him at home later.”

Coop pulled out his cell phone.

For the first time, Jenni noticed Hope and Faith both standing in the doorway to the family room. They must have overheard their conversation, because although neither was smiling, they seemed relieved. Jenni gave them each a big smile.

“Come on, Dorothy, now will you eat something?” Eli reached for her hand.

Dorothy moved her hand back, away from his outstretched fingers. “Thank you for looking for my daughter, Eli.”

Eli frowned at the polite, distant tone in Dorothy's voice. “I didn't do it for a thank-you.”

“I know.” Dorothy was staring off into the distance. “I think it's time for you to take your sleepy daughters home, Eli.” Dorothy wouldn't meet Eli's gaze. “Felicity's safe; that's all I care about.”

Eli's frowned deepened. “I realize that our dinner date for tomorrow night might have to be postponed, so tell me what I can do to help.”

Dorothy's shoulders slumped. “I'm sorry, Eli, but dinner will have to be canceled, not postponed.”

“I'm not going to accept that.” Eli had the appearance of a very determined man. “Don't you deserve some happiness in your life?”

Dorothy gave Eli a look that nearly broke Jenni's heart. Her mother-in-law really did have feelings for Eli, strong feelings. “I'm sorry, Eli.” Dorothy turned and started to walk out of the room.

“So that's it?” Eli looked stunned. He looked like a man whose world was crumbling at his feet.

Dorothy's whisper was low, but everyone in the room heard it. “That's it.”

Jenni watched as Dorothy left the room. For the first time she could ever remember, her mother-in-law not only looked her age, she looked older. She could hear Coop still talking with Sam on the phone, but it was Eli who held her attention. The man looked heartbroken.

She placed a hand upon his forearm. “Give her some time, Eli.”

“Time for what?” Eli asked, still staring at the empty doorway Dorothy had just walked through.

“Time for her to come to her senses.” What else could she say? Dorothy was a very stubborn woman when she put her mind to it.

“Okay, I'll give her time, for now.” Eli tried to smile but failed miserably. “Come on, girls. Go get your stuff. It's time to go home.”

 

 

Jenni watched as Uncle Mitch surveyed her shop and she gathered up some goodies for him to take back to Boston with him tomorrow morning. Doing the driving twice in one day was just too much to ask, so he was bunking down in Chase's room for the night. Chase would be joining his brothers in their room. Felicity was home, safe and sound. “So what do you think?”

“I think you're a genius.” Mitch smiled as he smelled a bar of oatmeal cranberry soap.

“Thank you.” She grinned. “But I was referring to Felicity.”

“Oh.” Mitch shrugged. “What the devil do I know?”

“You do have six children of your own.” Anyone with half a dozen kids should know something about the workings of a teenage mind. Felicity and Dorothy were talking in the kitchen. To ensure their privacy, she took Mitch on a tour of her shop and gave the boys colored water in spray bottles. They were currently turning their once white and wonderful snowman into a psychedelic nightmare.

“Making them is the easy part; raising them is a whole different ball game.”

“Tell me about it. You've met Tucker.” Her son had greeted Mitch with an iguana on his shoulder and a plastic pirate sword in hand. Tucker had been demanding loot, gold, and wenches. She knew her son had no idea what “wenches” were. Sam must have taught him that one. Mitch had thought Tucker was adorable.

“You're doing a great job with the boys, Jenni.” Mitch smelled another bar of soap. “It must be hard without their father.”

“We're doing okay. I'm dating a very nice man, Coop Armstrong. You'll be meeting him tonight at dinner.” It seemed so natural to tell Mitch about Coop. Life did indeed go on.

Mitch smiled. “Good.”

“So no advice on Felicity?”

“Nope. I learned long ago that what works on one child won't work on another. Kids will do what they want to do, and it's our job as the parents to teach them right from wrong.” Mitch lowered the bar of soap back onto the tray. “The rest of the time we pray that they remember those lessons.”

“You do know that Dorothy is blaming herself for all of this?” She had never seen her mother-in-law so beaten before. Grief-stricken, yes; beaten, no. Dorothy had barely said a word all morning long while waiting for Mitch and Felicity to arrive.

“I know.” Mitch frowned as he looked around the shop. “I couldn't help but overhear the beginning of their conversation. I can't imagine what my sister did that was so terrible that made Felicity run away. Dorothy loves that child.”

“We all do, but lately things around here have become more hectic than normal. Maybe having Dorothy and Felicity move in with me and the boys was a mistake.”

Mitch snorted. “I've never met two women who liked to blame themselves for every little thing in the world that has gone wrong more than you and Dorothy.” Mitch raised a brow. “If you did something wrong to Felicity, make it right. If you didn't, stop blaming yourself. Tell my thickheaded sister that too.” Mitch zipped his coat, signalling the end of the tour.

“I will.” She buttoned her coat and turned out the lights as she opened the door. The sun was going down, and the wind had picked back up. Time for the boys to come in. “Thank you for driving Felicity all the way home.” It was at least five hours of straight driving.

“Been meaning to get up here to check up on my sister, Felicity, you, and the boys for a while now. Never seems to be enough time.”

“You can say that again.”

“There never seems to be enough time.” Mitch gave her a teasing wink, stepped outside, and headed for the edge of the bay.

 

 

Jenni scraped the dishes and loaded the dishwasher while Dorothy put away the leftovers. It had been the same nightly ritual for months, until Coop, Eli, and his daughters had shown up on the scene. Then things had been different. It had been happier, with a lot of teasing going on, and the smiles had been genuine.

Tonight Dorothy's smiles hadn't been real. Oh, the corner of her mouth tilted up, but that was about the extent of it. Dorothy had been putting on a show for her daughter, but she hadn't been fooling anyone.

Uncle Mitch had headed home right after breakfast, and Coop had eaten dinner at his parents'. Coop wanted to give the family some alone time with Felicity. It had been awfully sweet of him, but she missed him something terrible.

Felicity carried over the last of the dirty dishes from the table. “I have to go do some homework.”

“Okay, hon. Do you need anything?” Dorothy asked.

“Do you need the computer?” Jenni asked. She had planned on doing some paperwork for the business tonight, but if Felicity needed it, she'd gladly let the girl use it first. Dorothy had been holding off buying Felicity her own computer until she was ready to leave for college. The way technology changed, whatever was purchased this year would be almost obsolete in two years.

“No, it's just some studying.” Felicity had been awfully quiet since her return. The girl dried her hands on a towel and then left the room.

“She's still not happy.” Dorothy frowned at the empty doorway. “I don't know what else to do.” There was a whole lot left unsaid in that statement.

“Give it time.” She hesitated to approach the subject, but someone had to. “Dorothy, have you considered moving back to Augusta? It's not too far, and I and the boys will come visit all the time.” She gave her mother-in-law an encouraging smile. Felicity was always talking about her friends from back there.

“You don't want us here?”

“Never!” She put a plate into the dishwasher with a little more force than necessary. “How could you say that? We love you here.
I
love you here.” She softened her tone when she saw the look on Dorothy's face. “I just thought I'd be the one to say it first. Don't tell me that idea hadn't occurred to you.”