Need You Now (23 page)

“Darlene?”

She took a deep breath and spun around.

Layla had her arms folded across her chest again. “I can't come for dinner, and I'm in a hurry because I have a very sick cow out in the far pasture. I don't think she's going to make it, and I'd like to be with her.”

Darlene stammered, “Anything I can do?”

“No. Just wanted you to know why I can't come to dinner.” Layla took a step back inside and closed the door.

On the drive home, Darlene kept asking herself why she even wanted to be friends with Layla. But she knew the answer. Layla was a good person deep down. And she needed a friend.

Over the next several weeks, everyone settled into a chaotic routine. After school was out for the summer, Darlene had to run the household like a dictator from a remote location, often texting her children throughout the day to remind them what needed to be done at home.

The washing machine had bounced across the mudroom, dislodging the pipe and flooding the area last Tuesday. Before that, Ansley's rooster, the infamous Rocky, had pecked the UPS man on the leg, drawing blood. The deliveryman had shown up at The Evans School to chat with Darlene about it. Another snake had made its way into the house, a grass snake no bigger than a pencil, but Chad had hacked it into pieces with a kitchen knife, further marring the wooden floor.

Darlene was just glad that Chad had snagged a part-time job tending Clydesdales at a nearby ranch. He wasn't home to help out as much as his sisters, but at least he was occupied and earning a little spending money. Brad had been working later and later in an effort to make partner.

The house was a wreck most of the time, and when the kids did clean it, it wasn't anything like Darlene would have liked. And she was tired most of the time. But as she watched Cara working a crossword puzzle—the third one she'd finished in the past week—she knew she was making progress. And the extra money was building up in savings. It wouldn't be long before she could cover the floors with new hardwood.

“Great job,” Darlene said after Cara eased the crossword puzzle in front of Darlene. She quickly scanned her answers, then moved it to the side. She was reaching for a book Cara had been reading when Cara touched her hand. It was the second time this week that Cara had touched her. “What is it, sweetie?”

“You are the best mom ever.”

Darlene stopped breathing for a moment. Cara had spoken slowly and clearly, but the way Cara was gazing into Darlene's eyes made her nervous. “Thank you. I hope my children all think so too.” She forced a smile as her chest tightened.

Cara still had her hand on Darlene's. “You are my mother now.”

Darlene eased her hand out from under Cara's and twisted in her chair to face her. “Cara, I'm your
teacher
, and I am so proud of the work you've been doing . . . But I'm not your mother, honey.”

Cara shook her head so hard Darlene was sure it had to hurt. “No! You are my mother now!”

“Cara, listen to me.” Darlene paused, hoping she could make Cara understand. “You are very special. Do you know how special you are?”

Cara's bottom lip trembled as she leaned forward and put her head on Darlene's chest. Darlene was so shocked that she didn't move for a few moments. Then she slowly wrapped her arms around Cara. She was still holding Cara when Dave walked in.

“What's wrong?” He hurried to them, his eyebrows narrowing as he looked at Darlene. “Did something happen?”

“No, everything is fine,” Darlene said as Cara pulled away, ran to her father, and hugged him.

“Was it a good day?” Dave kissed Cara on the top of her head, but his eyes were on Darlene.

She, Cara, and Dave had settled into a comfortable routine. Every now and then, she'd catch Dave staring at her in a way that made her slightly uncomfortable, almost in admiration, but she assumed it was because she and Cara were making such great progress.

Today, she was worn out and hoped Cara would tell her father it was a good day, as it had been—until Cara's confusion about Darlene's role in her life. She was wondering if she should mention the incident to Dave when Cara nodded and told her father it had been a good day.

Dave smiled. “I was surprised to see Cara in your arms, but I see now that progress is being made.” He gazed into Darlene's eyes for a few moments. “Thank you. For everything.”

Darlene nodded, knowing she was blushing. “Cara is a great student.”

Dave instructed Cara to say good-bye, and they left. Darlene wanted to take some time to think about Cara's comment before she decided if she should mention it to Dave or Myrna. Even though she didn't want Cara to be confused, it warmed her heart that she and Cara had grown so much closer.

She left right after Dave and Cara, and as she drove past Layla's house, she realized she hadn't seen Layla since she'd dropped off her dress. Sometimes she felt guilty for not making more of an effort to be friends with her.

When Darlene pulled into her driveway at home, she wished she could wave a magic wand and have dinner on the table, the clothes folded, and the house clean. She climbed out of the car and noticed Brad's car in the driveway too.
Hmm .
. .

As she opened the door, two aromas mingled into a heavenly scent that she recognized—the lemony fresh smell of a clean house and dinner in the oven. She kicked her shoes off and ran to the kitchen, noticing the spotless den along the way. Brad was stirring something on the stove.

“I do have a fairy godmother!” She ran over and wrapped her arms around him. “What are you doing home so early, and what happened to my house?” He leaned down, and she gratuitously kissed him several times. “And what do I smell?”

“I'm home early because I felt like doing something nice for my wife. The house is clean because I threatened the children. And this is pot roast with carrots and potatoes because you know that's all I know how to cook. Besides hot dogs.” He winked, and Darlene didn't think she could love him any more than at that moment.

“You are the best husband on the planet,” she said, meaning it. She stood perfectly still for a moment, then cupped a hand to her ear. “It's too quiet in here.”

“Kids are all upstairs watching television and being very quiet like I told them to be.”

Darlene grinned. “Really?”

“Oh, and I told them they could all go out to eat pizza Friday night if they'd just keep it down for a while this evening.”

She pulled out a kitchen chair and sat down. Brad set a glass of tea in front of her.

“Thank you.” Darlene slumped down in the chair, took a sip of the tea, and sighed. “I'm so tired tonight.”

Brad put the lid on the roast, then took a seat across from her at their breakfast table in the kitchen. “Then maybe you should quit.”

Darlene sat taller. It was okay for her to consider her options, but she didn't want Brad considering them for her. “No, I love my job, and the extra money is nice.”

Brad reached over and squeezed her hand. “As for the money . . . it's no longer a concern. Feel free to do all the renovations on this house that you want.” His eyes twinkled as he spoke.

“Oh my gosh. You got partner!” Darlene bounced in her chair. “Didn't you?”

Brad's smile broadened. “Yes, my dear. I did.”

She jumped from her chair and into his lap. “I knew you would.” She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him all over his face. “I'm so proud of you.”

He cupped her cheek, kissed her on the mouth. “So now you can quit, and things will be back to how they used to be.”

Darlene fought the tinge of bitterness that crept into her heart, suddenly not sure if she wanted things to go back exactly as they'd been. “I don't know . . . it would be hard to quit. I mean, I know I'm tired, and everyone has to pitch in around here, but . . .” She shrugged. “It makes me feel independent.”

“I didn't know that you didn't feel independent before. Have I ever told you what to do or not do, what to spend, or anything else?” Brad rubbed his chin as he cocked his head to one side.

“No. That's not it.” She shrugged again. “I don't know. I'll think about it.” She thought about the money she'd been saving for the floors. Maybe even whisk Brad away for a weekend. There had to be someone who could at least check on the kids. Layla's name came to mind, but . . .

“Whatever you decide.” Brad kissed her again, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I just want you to be happy.”

“I know. And I am.” She thought about how disappointed Myrna would be if she quit her job after just two months. And what about Cara?

“Maybe everyone would appreciate me a little more around here if I wasn't working—now that they've had a taste of what it's like when I'm not here.” She nudged Brad playfully, although she was serious.

“We've always appreciated you.” He eased her off his lap and walked to the stove. After lifting the lid off the roast, he leaned down and inhaled through his nose. “Not bad, if I do say so myself.”

Darlene pulled her blouse loose from her slacks, then stretched her arms above her head. “I'm going to go change clothes, then I'll—”

A bloodcurdling scream from upstairs made her gasp midsentence. She couldn't move for a moment. Then another scream.

“Mom! Dad! Come quick! Hurry!” Ansley's voice sounded panicked.

Darlene was ahead of Brad as they both darted up the stairs. Her heart was in her throat.

Chapter Twelve

Ansley stood in the hall outside of Grace's room, crying. Darlene pushed past her younger daughter and into the room, Brad on her heels. Chad was sitting beside Grace on the bed, and Darlene knelt down in front of her.

“Gracie, baby?” Darlene's mouth moved, but hardly any sound came out as she eyed the blood on Grace's powder blue shirt. Her baby girl's hands were covered in blood. Tears were streaming down both her cheeks. Darlene looked down and saw the gashes on the inside of Grace's thighs, slightly below her white shorts, which were also splattered bright red.

“Who did this to you?” She grasped Grace's shoulders. “Tell me!”

“Oh, dear Lord in heaven,” Brad said as he pulled Chad out of the way and sat down beside Grace. “Gracie, baby girl. What happened? Who did this?”

Darlene didn't take her eyes from Grace as she told Ansley to hurry and get some wet cloths. “What happened?” She glanced back and forth between Grace and Chad. Grace couldn't catch her breath, so she turned to Chad, who was also crying.

“She—she did this to herself, Mom.” Chad swiped at his eyes.

“What?” Brad glared at his son, then looked back at Grace.

Darlene touched Brad on the leg. She could feel him trembling. When Ansley walked back into the room carrying a wet rag, Darlene asked everyone to leave. Brad started to argue, but he finally took Ansley and Chad by the shoulders, and they all went downstairs.

Darlene took a deep breath as she sat beside Grace on the bed and began to clean her wounds. She silently prayed and thanked God that Grace's wounds weren't deeper. She might have scars, but she didn't need stitches. She left once to get antibiotic ointment, and when she returned, Grace was still crying just as hard as when she and Brad had first walked in. Grace just kept sobbing and saying how sorry she was, over and over again.

“It's okay, sweetie. It's okay.” Darlene was repeating herself too, but she didn't know what else to say. Her main focus was on comforting Grace, even though her mind was spinning. Why would her beautiful daughter do this to herself?

Four fresh cuts ran along the inside of Grace's thighs, and on the top of her legs, smaller wounds were scabbing over, making it heartbreakingly clear that this was not the first time Grace had done this to herself.

After she finished applying the antibiotic cream, Darlene couldn't control the flood of tears that poured down her cheeks. “Why, baby? What made you do this?” She blotted her eyes, thinking maybe she should have let Brad handle this. But she couldn't bear to leave Grace yet. Grace was so hysterical. She just kept shaking her head and apologizing. Darlene felt helpless.