Time to Love Again (15 page)

"I know, Francis explained it to me. Gees, Mom, what's a family for if you can't turn to them?"

"You're right, honey. I promise I'll keep in touch. But you have to promise if I ever overstep my bounds you'll tell me."

Melinda laughed. "Trust me, Mom. You could never overstep your bounds. You're too thoughtful. We miss you. I wish you'd agree to spend part of Christmas with us."

"Not this year. But I promise to visit in the summer, honest." It was time she spent more time with the kids. "I'm going to take a three month summer vacation and divide it between you and Francis. You'll probably be happy to see me leave."

"Never!"

"Okay, you remember that." Rose laughed. "I love you," Rose said before she hung up.

* * *

Stephen stood at the window. Workers came and went from Rose's house. He couldn't wait for her to return home. He missed the crotchety old thing. She'd been so close to coming to him that day in the bedroom. She had taken that first step. Too bad her son had showed up. Another time. He'd see her again when she moved back. No way was she going to ignore him this time. He'd worked too hard to get through that tough reserve. Something told him, he'd have to start all over again. Damn, he'd been so close.

Sarah came in and slammed the door. "Hi, Grandpa. What are you looking at?"

"Huh? Oh nothing, just watching the weather. How was school?"

"Fine. When's Mrs. Asbury coming home?" Sarah flung her backpack in one direction and her coat in another.

Stephen couldn't contain a chuckle. As young as Sarah was, she was more observant than he realized. Was he so transparent that even an eight year old could see through him?

Chapter Twenty-Three

"I think Stephen's sweet on you, Mom," Francis teased before he left. "It's about time. You're too young to spend your life alone, and Dad wouldn't have wanted you to."

Rose kissed him goodbye and didn't bother to argue. It was hopeless. For some reason the kids made up their minds that she and Stephen were and item and no amount of arguing was going to change it. "What time is your flight?" She changed the subject.

"Okay, I get the hint. But really, Mom...."

"Call me when you get home and give my love to Linda and the kids." Rose cut him off.

Francis kissed her goodbye and got into his rental car. "I will. And don't forget, next summer."

Rose nodded and stood on the front stoop and watched his car until she couldn't see him anymore. She turned and went into the house.

With Francis gone, the house seemed emptier. All the new furniture, paint and dishes seemed like they belonged to someone else. To top it off, Emma never missed an opportunity to remind her of the handsome man next door.

"You need to move on with your life," she said. "Even your kids want you to."

Rose shrugged her off and set about her daily living. If living was what you wanted to call it. Daily errands, trips to the store, doctor's appointments. Boring, everyday things to help fill her time. It seemed strange with all the new furniture and carpeting. She loved the new kitchen floor. But she missed her old stuff.

To make matters worse, the neighbor kids began to hassle her again. It began the day Francis left, little things at first, sled tracks in the yard, a partially built snowman, all happening when she wasn't home. Little things that continued to remind her of the past. Things her kids used to do. Rose tried to ignore them. She didn't want a reason to see Stephen. He sparked too many feelings in her.

Louise came home from the hospital and, thankfully, her recovery progressed nicely. Rose spoke to her on the phone and visited her every day.

"I'm so glad you're in contact with Francis and Melinda again," Louise said.

"I don't know how you managed to only speak to them once a month. Honestly, Rose, you are such a stubborn woman. They were so worried about you."

It surprised Rose to hear Louise had talked with them once a week. “I wish I had known how they felt. At least now I've made amends."

The thought of almost losing Louise still terrified Rose. Here it was two weeks before Christmas and sadness still overcame her. The memories of the past wouldn't leave her alone.

Melinda and Francis called every day and begged her to spend the holidays with them, but she couldn't. Not this year. She didn't want to leave just yet. She wasn't ready to take that step.

Besides, she wanted to spend as much time helping Louise as possible.

At least her relationship with Francis and Melinda had improved. Opening herself up to them again was hard, but the realization of how important they were and hearing from them made it worthwhile. And, she enjoyed talking to her grandkids and hearing about school and sports and other activities they participated in. They were a part of her life, how could she have denied them?

Rose knew that sorrow and hurt were a part of death, and she couldn't prevent her kids from those feelings any more than she could prevent hurting for them.

"Foolish, foolish old woman, it's about time you came to terms with life. Look what you missed hiding away from your kids and life," Emma said.

Now if she could just get rid of Emma's voice.

After she promised to spend part of the summer with each of them, they reminded her of it every time they spoke. "So, what's going on with you and Mr. Daniels?" Francis asked every time they spoke.

"Francis, that's a road best not traveled." She said. "We speak occasionally, but there's nothing between us."

Louise was just as bad. Each time Rose visited, Louise brought up Stephen.

"I don't understand why you won't go out with him, Rose. He's such a handsome man. And he seems so caring and concerned about you."

Rose sighed. She was growing tired of this argument. "Sure he's handsome, but really Louise there's nothing between us. Give it a rest already."

She didn't like the sly look on Louise's face when she agreed not to bring him up again.

Unfortunately, that didn't last because with the next visit, she provoked the same argument.

"I swear if you don't quit suggesting there's something more with Stephen I won't visit anymore."

Louise laughed. "Okay, okay. I'll try not to mention him. But you know you're attracted to him. I saw it last time you visited me in the hospital. And he sure made it plain he's attracted to you. The man literally adores you. He couldn't take his eyes off you. You know it wasn't me he came to visit."

"Why was he there anyway? I didn't know you knew him."

"I didn't. I guess after he brought you to see me, he came and talked to George." Louise bit her lip.

"What do you mean he came and talked to George? About what?" Something sounded fishy in
Denmark
. Why had Stephen talked to George? "You can't mean he talked to George about me?" Rose saw the look on Louise's face and the light went on. She knew she hit the button on the head. "The nerve of that man. What did George tell him?"

"He was just concerned about you. Wanted to know a little more about you. That's all. He really cares about you, Rose."

Stephen actually talked to her friends about her. Was he really that interested? "Well, there's nothing between us, so drop it."

But there could be if she'd let it happen.

She sipped her coffee and thought about Stephen. He called several times a day, making small talk, even asked her out and invited her to dinner with him and Sarah.

 
She always made an excuse, she was on her way out, she was busy baking, anything to avoid him. Yet, she longed for his company, missed seeing his silly grin and loved hearing his voice. She tried to fight it, but between Emma's nagging and her heart, it became more and more difficult.

Sometimes, she almost gave in. But something held her back. She still wasn't sure if she could trust that part of her. She wasn't ready for a relationship. Not a long term one, and something told her if she gave in and started spending time with Stephen that's how it would turn out. No, not yet.

Laughter and voices outside broke her train of thought. Just as she stood up, splat, something hit the house. Splat, splat, twice more before she got to the door. Pulling it open, she saw Sarah vanish around the corner of the garage. What was it with that child? She just doesn't quit.

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Come on, she isn't going to do anything. Anyway I think my grandpa likes her. I hear him talking to her sometimes." Sarah said as she led her friends into Rose's yard. "But he always looks so sad when they hang up."

"What do they talk about?" Jenny asked, following Sarah to see what her plan was. "I'm not sure if this is a good idea, she's home this time. And you did promise your grandpa to leave her alone."

"Yeah, but Grandpa keeps asking her out, and she keeps saying no, so if I make her mad, she'll come over again."

 
Jenny nodded and followed along with Jason and Billy.

"I don't know why we let you talk us into this. We're going to end up in trouble for sure this time." Billy held back and kicked at the snow.

"Then don't come." Sarah flipped her hair and threw a snowball at him as she turned the corner of the garage into Mrs. Asbury's yard. The others followed behind.

They finished building the snowman and Mrs. Asbury didn't come out.

"Darn," Sarah said. "I thought for sure she'd see us. Maybe she's sleeping or something. She picked up a snowball and threw it at the house. Jenny, Jason, and Billy ran behind the garage, but Sarah kept throwing more snowballs until the door opened, and she ran.

Stephen saw the kids run around the corner of the garage. What were they up to now? He knew they must have been in Rose's yard. He opened the door. "Sarah," he called.

"I have to go," Jenny turned and ran, followed closely by Jason and Billy, leaving Sarah to face her grandfather alone.

"See you tomorrow," Billy shouted.

"Yeah, right, big chickens," Sarah mumbled and threw one last snowball. She walked slowly toward her grandfather, wondering if Mrs. Asbury would come over now. She hoped so, even if it did get her into trouble with Grandpa. He was so sad, and Sarah was mad that Mrs. Asbury ignored him.

"What were you doing next door?" Grandpa asked.

Sarah came in and kept her head down.

"Sarah, I'm at my wits end with you, I don't know what to do with you. I've tried reasoning with you, grounding you. I even tried making you sit in a chair, something that had worked well with your father, but nothing seems to work. I don't believe in spankings and don't know what else to do. Right now, I'm so angry I can't think straight."

Sarah didn't say anything.

Stephen shook his head. "Mrs. Ashbury has enough problems without having to deal with harassment from the neighborhood kids."

Sarah stood in front of him waiting for her punishment. She refused to look at him, which tore his heart out. He walked towards her and helped her take her coat off and put his arm around her.

"Sarah, Sarah."

Stephen took Sarah on his lap and held her. He wasn't sure what to say. He didn't know how to get through to her. He held her and rocked, stroked her red curls, whistled a tune, and tried to think of something, anything, to say that would make her obey. He knew she and her friends had been next door. He expected Rose to come to the door any minute. Half hoped she would, he wanted to see her again. He tried to visit her several times, but she always made an excuse. He wanted to be part of her life, to spend time with her and though he made a vow to break through to her, she made it almost impossible.

He and George had become good friends and Louise was a welcome accomplice. She assured him Rose would come around if he kept up, but agreed it wouldn't be an easy task.

 
"She's locked herself away for so long, it's going to take a miracle to break through." Louise told him, reminding him how long it took when Emma died.