A Man's Heart (7 page)

By late afternoon Saturday, the rented U-Haul was packed. She scrubbed the apartment clean, and then carefully showered, put on her makeup, blow dryed her hair, and then drove to the college for graduation ceremonies. The long anticipated event was bittersweet without Pop and Sophie
in the audience. Many, like her, had gone back to school after years of absence to get degrees. The ceremony was long and poignant. At the end, Jules walked across the stage, received her diploma from Dean Strauss, and then walked off the stage with friends cheering. She still had to complete her thesis, but by all standards she now had an agriculture/biotechnology degree.

Early Sunday morning, she climbed into her vehicle, settled her cup of coffee in the console, and prepared to drop the apartment key in the complex drop-box. Her business here was finished.

Sophie was incoherent when Jules called her last night. Cruz had taken the phone and reported that his sister had made it through surgery fine but she was still drowsy from the anesthetic and pain medication.

Closing her eyes, she had listened to his voice, aching for him — aching for her. They might have their differences but they both loved Sophie. Funny how life sorts one's priorities into place. She thought having a degree would be the Mother of Satisfaction. Sadly enough, the ceremony felt just like any other she'd endured. Lengthy. Sophie, not irrigation systems, filled her thoughts. Cruz, not accomplishment, drew tears.

Father, I would trade everything I've inherited to have Cruz back and Sophie out of danger.

She braked at the gate, dropped her apartment key into the lock box, and drove on. But she doubted that God would heed her pleas, since she hadn't been exactly the most obedient sheep in his flock. When Mom and Crystal left she'd been mad at everyone—including God. She believed in him, because you can't be mad at something or someone that you
don't think is there, but she'd had some hefty reservations about his ways over the past four years.

Was she still mad at him? No. She, unlike Pop, didn't carry a grudge—or at least she didn't think she did, but right now God seemed so far beyond her reach she might as well be an atheist.

C
ruz slammed on the brakes when a Tracker pulling a U-Haul streaked through the four-way stop without braking. Muttering under his breath, he reached to the floorboard and set his overturned coffee upright.

Jules was back.

The woman was going to get herself creamed one of these days. From the day he'd taken her to get her driver's license, he'd warned her that STOP meant Skid Tires on Pavement. Obviously the advice hadn't stuck.

Pulling into the local grill, he cut the engine and got out, adjusting the brim of his hat. At two in the afternoon, the place was quiet. He ordered a burger and fries, and then moseyed to the pool table where he shot a few games. His banker, Lex Hughes, walked in, ordered a cold drink, loosened his tie and joined him at the table. Chalking his stick, he grinned. “Was that Jules's vehicle pulling a U-Haul?”

Cruz racked the triangle of multi-colored balls. Lex nodded for him to make the break. The clack of balls overrode the juke box. Bending, he positioned for the push out. “You saw her? All I saw was a blur.”

Chuckling, Lex bent when it was his turn. “Four side pocket.” The ball shot into the hole. “The community is going to miss Fred. Has Jules said what she and Crystal plan to do?”

Switching to the right side of the table, Cruz said, “Nine center, four side pocket.” Balls clacked and found their target. “Not to me, she hasn't.” Lex was on a fishing expedition. He'd heard the rumors about Fred excluding Crystal from the will and wanted to know why.

The banker studied the green felt. “Still feuding? Thought you might be a Good Samaritan and help her unload the U-Haul.” Bending, he said, “Ten in the left pocket.”

“Haven't talked to her in years — unless you count the other night when I bumped into her coming out of the hospital.”

Lex sobered. “How is Sophie? I'll stop by the hospital, but I thought I'd wait until she felt up to company.”

“Four and six ball, side.” Clack. “Surgery went well. She has a chance. The cancer has spread, but she has a great gynecologic oncologist.”

“I hear the cancer was worse than first thought.”

“Sophie's a fighter.” Cruz bent and shot. “Adan mentioned that we might have to move her to a larger facility … maybe in Kennewick or Richland.”

Lex shook his head and bent. “Four, center. That she is. How are you and Adan making it with the kids? How old are they now?”

“Ethan's five and Livvy's twenty-two months.” More stuff came out of that kid's orifices than Cruz thought possible. This morning she'd spit oatmeal twenty-five feet—he'd measured. What didn't go on him hit the wall. He called another
shot, sank it, and changed the subject. “I planned to catch you in the office tomorrow. What are you doing working on a Sunday afternoon?”

“This housing market is crazy. The refi's have me covered. I'm taking the afternoon to get caught up on paperwork.” He called the shot, bent and played. The ball bumped the eight and rolled to within a hair's length of the back pocket. “What'd you need?”

“A week's extension on my loan.” He straightened, meeting the banker's eyes. “I know you've been patient, Lex, and I hate to ask, but I'm expecting a check from an account up north sometime by the end of the month.”

Lex frowned. “You know your credit's good, Cruz, but this past year you're getting in pretty deep.”

Cruz knew only too well. Last year's moth infestation wiped out half his crop, and Sophie didn't have enough health insurance. Real estate bombed, and he and Adan couldn't sell Mom and Dad's house—who in this community needed a house with fourteen rooms? About the only thing the home was good for was a restaurant, with its big windows and wraparound porch, and this area sure didn't have the clientele to keep a business that size going. If this year's crop failed …

He shook the thought aside and smiled as the waitress brought the burger and fries. He'd work it out; he always did. At the moment, he wasn't sure about anything other than he had to keep his distance from Jules or risk falling in love with her again. How many times did it take for him to get it through his thick skull that she was history?

Twice bitten, and he'd learned to stay clear of women with sharp teeth.

The game ended. The two men shook hands. “I have to get back to the bank.”

“Sure thing. Catch you later.” Cruz hung his stick on the rack and returned to the bar where a burger and fries awaited him.

He took a bite, wincing. Just like his life. Cold.

M
ay gently folded into June, bringing light showers and blooming flowers. With three hundred days of sunshine, the sports enthusiasts came out. They liked to fish, walk, and bike riverfront paths. Jules and Crystal took the children to Pasco on the weekends to take advantage of the large sport complexes—six softball fields, batting cages, playgrounds adjoining soccer fields or to catch a game with the Tri-City Dust Devils Single A baseball team. Often the entourage would windsurf, water-ski or take a leisurely hike in a nearby natural habitat for deer, Canada geese, quail and Chinook salmon.

“Can we have hot dogs tonight?” Ethan asked one afternoon.

Jules caught the child into her arms and hugged him. “We've eaten hot dogs every single night this week.”

The child squealed with delight when she tickled him. Jules wasn't sure how they managed, but between her and Crystal they had kept the kids' minds off their mother and on a normal routine.

“Can we visit Mommy tonight?”

Crystal tousled the boy's hair. “Sure. Would you like to take her a pretty flower?”

“Yeah!” The child broke away and headed for one of the petunia beds.

“Crystal, he's not supposed to pick the flowers.”

“Nonsense.” Crystal smiled at Jules. “What are flowers for other than to be enjoyed by a sick mommy?”

Pesky complications kept Sophie in the hospital. Prolonged bowel obstruction slowed her recovery. The need for nasogastric suction kept her in the hospital. Jules was relieved that her spirits were still intact. Every day she made the drive to Pasco and visited while Crystal occupied the kids.

“You can't tell me that by now you're not pulling your hair out. I know what a handful Olivia can be.” Sophie forced a wan smile.

“Honestly, she wears me out, but Crystal and I love it.”

Her friend cocked her head swathed in a doo rag. Sophie was particular about her long, thick hair, and a hospital bed did nothing for her beautiful locks. “Are you and Crystal getting along well?”

“We barely see one another. I'm so busy trying to help Joe keep the farm running while Crystal watches the kids. I see her in the evenings for a few minutes, and we take the kids into Pasco often.”

“I thought by now you two would be at sword's point.”

“She's messy,” Jules confided. “She doesn't know how to stack the dishwasher, and she can step over clutter as though it
isn't there. I nearly broke my leg stumbling over one of Livvy's toys last night.”

“Does Crystal help with the cleaning?”

“Cleaning?” Jules laughed. “I'm not sure she'd recognize the word. She's in her own perfect world. Flowers, fauna, peace, love and goodwill to all men.” That was Crystal's focus and admittedly, her strong points. Jules envied her ability to let Rome fall while she puttered in the flower beds. Dirty dishes and dust balls under the bed didn't faze her.

“Pastor Williams stops by every day.”

Sobering, Jules met her eyes.

“We pray together.”

“That's good. Do you want me to pray with you?”

“Do you pray alone for me, Jules?”

Jules squirmed. She did, but on the run. Drive by prayers.
God bless Sophie today. God make Sophie comfortable. God heal Sophie.
Of course she prayed. “He's answering my prayers.”

Sophie caught her hand. “Oh, Jules, I worry about you.”

“For goodness sake, why?” As far as she knew, she was the same ole Jules. Dull. Hard-working. Loyal. Short nails with potato dirt under them.

“Because I know if this turns out differently than you expect, you'll be mad at God again.”

“Again?”

“Oh, Jules. You've been angry at God since the last time you broke up with Cruz.”

The last time?
That was unnecessarily frank. “I wasn't angry at God. I was mad at myself. You know how I hated what Mom and Pop did to each another — to our family. I need to be certain when I marry, and, at the time, I wasn't certain.”

“Yeah.” Sophie sighed. “It's hard to imagine your mom having an …”

“Affair?” Jules provided.

“Was it a full-blown affair, or one regrettable indiscretion?”

“One indiscretion that ruined her life. Pop never forgave her.”