Take Four (25 page)

He didn’t have much to pack, and he couldn’t leave until the first week of December, after finals. Clear Creek High had
finished sixth in state—far better than any time in the last few years. Coach Taylor had told him after the last game—an away loss to a big Indianapolis school—that the team would never have gone so far without his help.

“Connor is a different kid this year,” Coach told him.

Cody was still pretty sure Connor’s passion laid in performing—lately he wanted to be a Christian recording artist—but Cody had to agree with Coach Taylor. The work he’d done with Connor hadhelpedhimmatureintoadifferent,moreconfidentyoungman. The changes in him were only one of the rewards Cody would take with him from this past season. Jim Flanigan had thanked him too.

“We miss you around the house,” he’d told Cody after the last game. “When things settle down, come back around. I’d like to talk sometime.”

Cody had agreed, but he didn’t let the conversation linger. Leaving the Flanigans was going to hurt in a way that would stay with him all his life. Not just leaving Bailey, but her whole family.

Now that there was no football practice, Cody had put all his focus on his schoolwork. He wanted nothing less than a B, especially since he was transferring. He’d already made the arrangements with the counselors here and at the Indianapolis campus. He set his physics book down and laid on his back, staring at the ceiling. If only he could get through this week, through the conversation he was finally going to have with Bailey.

Jim Flanigan had called and invited him for Thanksgiving, and Cody had accepted. He understood why the invitation hadn’t come from Bailey. They weren’t talking at all now, not even a few random text messages or brief awkward phone calls. Several weeks back he’d stopped responding to her, and in very little time she gave up altogether. Cody didn’t blame her. The break was his fault completely.

But he’d only done it because he loved her more than life. At first, because he wanted to protect her from Benny. But then
because he wanted her to enjoy the life God was giving her. He would only slow her down now. If the paparazzi found out about their relationship and Cody’s mother…her arrest and Benny Dirk. The news could tarnish Bailey forever.

His leaving was just one more way of protecting her.

He breathed in and felt a little rush of adrenaline at the thought of seeing her. She’d made the cover of the tabloids twice since filming started, once when the group of them flew off to New York City for the day and the headlines shouted:
Cast of
unlocked
Gets Friendly.
The picture was of Brandon and Bailey leaving the Gershwin Theater together, holding hands. The quality was grainy, and clearly they hadn’t known anyone was taking their picture.

But the photo said it all.

The second time a photographer had caught them laughing together on the set of
Unlocked
.
Good Times Ahead for B&B
the cover announced. Cody had purchased both magazines, so he’d have proof in case he ever needed a reminder about why he was doing what he was doing.

The tabloids were merciless. They knew Tim Reed was in the
Wicked
cast, and they announced that already Tim was seeing one of the other ensemble dancers. If they found out about Cody and his mother, Bailey’s reputation would suffer. There was no need for that or for him to drag her down in any other way. Their lives were simply too different.

He thought about Thanksgiving.
Lord, let our time together be special…not strained or awkward. Please…I want her to remember what we shared before. Not how it is now.

He wanted a proper goodbye, a chance to tell her how much he cared and to convince her he only wanted the best for her. On the bed beside him, his phone vibrated, alerting him of a text message. For half a second he hoped it might be Bailey, but then
he knew better. Not tonight, with the cast party undoubtedly in full swing.

A quick look at his phone and he smiled to himself. Cheyenne.

You studying?

He tapped out his return on his phone.
Trying…you?

They’d been texting a little more, gradually finding a friendship. As it turned out, he was moving into an apartment a block away from her. They’d both be taking classes at the Indianapolis campus, and Tara had made it clear she expected them to be at Sunday dinner often. “Art would love this,” Tara told him when he stopped by last time he was in town. Cody had picked up a bouquet of flowers at the market, just to tell her he was thinking about her, about Art.

Tara had buried her face in the flowers and breathed in deep, and when Cody told her he was talking with Cheyenne occasionally, Tara’s eyes teared up, a smile stretched across her face. “This is good. My Art would’ve wanted this. That girl’s already had a hard life. She’s too special to sit home alone for the rest of time.”

Cody was still certain the post-Veteran’s Day dinner she’d arranged was intended to introduce Cheyenne to Art’s war buddies. Tara was right about her—Cheyenne was special. Cody had learned she was a Christian, and since losing Art she’d done little more than go to school and work each day. No wonder Tara was concerned about her. Another text came in.

Maybe when you move here we can study together. Might pass the time easier.

He thought about that, and he liked the idea. She was right; the time would pass more quickly if they studied together. He texted back,
Sounds fun…talk to you later…have a good night.

He didn’t want to talk at length with her, not now when all he could picture was Bailey and whether she was falling for Brandon or how she was feeling now they had finished filming. The thing about studying together was that this should’ve been the year
when he and Bailey shared that time. Last summer, everything was headed that way, and by now they might’ve been so in love, so strong in their relationship, nothing could ever come between them.

But it wasn’t meant to be. He’d made arrangements to move on, and he was at peace with his decision. He’d accepted the head coaching job at the new Christian school in Indianapolis, and in a few weeks he would be moved out of Bloomington—maybe for good. He’d taken care of his utilities, and his first and last rent at his new apartment in the city, and he’d met with the athletic director at the Christian school to fill out paper work and talk about next year—the offseason and Cody’s vision for the program. Now there was only one thing left to do, the thing he’d put off as long as he could.

He had to tell Bailey.

Somewhere down the road, he and Bailey might find a friendship again, but Cody wasn’t sure. He could never again see her as only a friend. And she needed to move on, fall in love with someone else, and find her way making movies or landing a role on Broadway. He knew her well enough to know she wouldn’t be interested in Brandon Paul—the guy wasn’t a Christian, and his personal life would only make Bailey want to pray for him, not date him. But one day she’d meet the right guy, and when that happened, Cody didn’t want to be in the way.

His next three years were laid out for him.

Now it was only a matter of trying to survive the heartbreak of living it.

B
AILEY LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT
T
HANKSIVING
. She woke up early Thursday morning, showered and dressed in her best black skinny jeans and a pale pink JCrew cashmere turtleneck she’d gotten for her last birthday. She felt more alive and full of hope than she had in a long time, and she realized again how much the shoot had taken out of her.

But more than that, today she’d see Cody again.

She hummed a Jeremy Camp song while she finished curling her long dark hair, and then she hurried down the stairs to the kitchen. Like every Thanksgiving, her parents were already working on the turkey, pulling it from its plastic wrapper so her dad could set it in the roasting pan. Bailey took a seat at the kitchen bar, watching the two of them. “Happy Thanksgiving!”

“Happy Thanksgiving!” They both said it, her dad peering over his shoulder while cool water ran over the raw turkey.

“Have I told you lately how glad I am you don’t coach the Lions or the Bears?” Bailey grinned. “You’d never be home for Thanksgiving.”

“Makes me grateful for traditions,” her dad chuckled. “I’ll take a Sunday game any day over missing this.”

“Yes, because no one knows turkeys like you, honey,” her mom came up behind him and massaged his shoulders. “You’re the best turkeymaker this side of the Mississippi.”

“That right?” He pulled a bag of gizzards from the inside of the bird and set them on the counter. “Or maybe you’re just buttering me up so I’ll keep doing this every year.”

“Maybe that.” Her mom nodded quickly and grinned at Bailey. Then she nuzzled her face against his. “Either way I agree, I’m glad you’re home.”

Her dad finished his part, cleaning out the turkey and positioning it back in the pan. Then he headed out to the garage to find the family’s Christmas lights. Every year they decorated their house the day after Thanksgiving, and since tomorrow afternoon figured to be rainy, he wanted to be ready for an early start.

Once he was gone, it was up to Bailey and her mom to stuff the bird. All six Flanigan kids had stayed up late the night before working on various parts of the dinner. The boys had shredded six loaves of bread, ripping the slices into small pieces and filling an enormous bowl. The bread had been left out overnight and now it was ready to be turned into stuffing.

Ricky and BJ had crushed two bags of pretzels for the crust of their family’s famous strawberry and cream cheese gelatin salad, while Bailey and Connor had worked together to make the pineapple lime salad. This time they hadn’t spilled a drop when they poured it into the ringed mold and put it in the refrigerator. Bailey thought the lime Jello salad was always the prettiest item on the table. Shawn and Justin had the job of peeling a ten-pound bag of potatoes—which they loved because each year they raced to see who could peel the most before the bag ran out. Like most years, Justin won, but Shawn was a good sport. He promised to make up for it by beating Justin in a game of Around the World on the basketball court sometime this morning.

With all the preparation from last night, Bailey and her mother didn’t have much work to get dinner going. Bailey found the celery and onions from the fridge while her mom set the gizzards in a small pan of boiling water. Later they would use a few tablespoons of the water to help season the stuffing.

Her mom talked about the upcoming football banquet Sunday afternoon and how great a job Cody had done. “I’m glad
he’s joining us today.” She gave Bailey a curious look. “Have you talked?”

“No. Not in weeks.” She had determined not to let that fact bother her. They needed to talk in person in order to work everything out. She minced the celery into fine pieces, careful to remove the stringy parts. In the background her dad had put on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. “We’ll talk today.” She smiled at her mom. Everything was too perfect for that not to happen. She would forgive Cody for being distant, and explain she understood how he might’ve been feeling out of sorts—what, with her working with Brandon. She would ask about Cheyenne, but she was sure the girl was not the problem. And now that her movie was finished and school was out, the two of them could find what they’d started last summer. She could hardly wait to see him.

The boys came down a few at a time, and each of them stopped to admire the work Bailey and her mom were doing. “I can’t wait till it starts cooking.” Ricky made an exaggerated sniff at the air, his face upward. “That’s the best smell ever!”

Bailey’s mom had set out cinnamon rolls and bacon for breakfast—another family tradition for Thanksgiving morning. Bailey’s brothers watched them add the chopped celery and onions to the dry bread, and as Bailey carefully poured in several cups of chicken broth and a little of the juice from the cooked gizzards. The last ingredient was a cup of melted butter.

“I could eat it just like that,” Shawn’s eyes were big. He craned his neck over the counter so he could get a whiff of the stuffing. “Cinnamon rolls and stuffing…the perfect combination.”

The other boys laughed, and after they watched Bailey and their mom stuff the turkey—and baste the outside with more melted butter—they ran to get their dad from outside. He and Connor were in charge of the next part.

Bailey stood back and admired the turkey. “Best one yet.”

“Definitely.” Her dad walked in, washed his hands, and together
with Connor they eased the stuffed bird into the baking bag and back into the roasting pan. This time Connor put the turkey in the oven without help.

“Way to go,” Bailey linked arms with Shawn and Justin, watching as Connor shut the oven door. “Wow, Connor, you’re as strong as dad.”

“Come on,” Ricky raised his eyebrows. As the youngest Flani gan and a football fanatic, he always saw their dad as bigger than life. “Connor’s strong, but no one’s as strong as Dad.”

The boys followed their dad outside to organize Christmas lights and decorations, and Bailey and her mom washed their hands. Already it was eleven in the morning, and Bailey wasn’t sure what time Cody was supposed to be there. “Did Dad tell him a time?” She ran a soapy wet rag over the granite countertop, cleaning the area for the next round of preparations.

“We’ll be eating at three, like always.” She brought a bowl of whole sweet potatoes to the sink and grabbed two peelers. “I think your dad told him to be here by two. He invited Cody’s mom too, but I guess she’s busy. That’s what Cody said.”

As they worked, they talked about the movie and the reshoots that were scheduled for the week after Christmas. They also dreamed about what they’d wear to the premiere for
The Last Letter
. Bailey wanted to take Cody, and she told her mom as much. Then Brandon could see Cody wasn’t only a figment of her imagination.

“Be careful, honey.” Her mom’s voice was tender, the way it always was when she had wisdom to impart. “What if something’s changed with Cody? I mean, the boys said he’s different. More distant.” She hesitated. “And remember the text he meant to send to that girl.”

“It’s nothing. I know it’s not.” She pushed the peeler deeper into a sweet potato, forcing large sections of skin into the sink. “It’s just the movie thing. We’ll be fine after today.”

Her mom didn’t press the issue. The answers would play out soon enough, so there was no point in either of them guessing about what Cody was thinking or why he’d been so distant. The hours passed slowly, and Shawn made good on his promise to beat Justin at Around the World. As the boys’ game came to a close, Bailey and her mom finished everything they could do in the kitchen, and except for their dad—who was showering—the whole family met up in the living room for a recap of the parade.

Finally…finally she saw Cody’s car pull up the drive, and her brothers celebrated the fact. Bailey padded through the house to her favorite window, the one in her mom’s office. From there she could watch him park and head up to the door without him seeing her. She felt her heart skid into a dizzy sort of rhythm. He looked taller, his shoulders broader, and she realized just how much she’d missed him.

Before he reached the front door, she was there to open it. But her brothers arrived at the same time, running and sliding down the hallway in their socks, creating a happy chaotic atmosphere that wasn’t exactly what Bailey was hoping for in this, the first time they’d been together in nearly two months.

“Wow, we’re like the welcome committee or something,” Ricky laughed out loud and rushed to get the door. “Hey…we’re all here!” he shouted as he welcomed Cody inside.

Cody was hugged from either side by Ricky and Shawn, and he got a fist pound from Connor all while Justin and BJ peppered him with questions about why he hadn’t been by and how come he didn’t come earlier in the day so he could’ve played Around the World. Before he took even a few steps, he reached one hand in Bailey’s direction and squeezed her fingers. Their eyes met, and Bailey felt her knees grow weak. He still cared about her. He
must
. Otherwise, he couldn’t speak to her like that, without even saying a word. Bailey stood back, smiling, taking in the way her brothers loved Cody. She would have time with him later, but for
now there was satisfaction in knowing he was clearly where he belonged.

Here with her family.

From the time he arrived until dinner was served, the group did everything together. They watched football and spent half an hour on the basketball court outside so Justin could take another try beating Shawn at hoops, and the whole time Bailey forced herself to be patient. The Baxters and the Ellisons were coming for dessert—nearly fifty people by her mom’s latest count. So if they didn’t find time alone soon the night could get away from them. It could be nearly midnight before they talked.

Dinner came together the way it usually did on Thanksgiving, in a frenzy of teamwork with every Flanigan doing his or her part to make it happen. The table was set with their prettiest creamy satin tablecloth and a deep brown and gold table runner. The china was the same they used every year, a set their parents picked up in London years ago. Even the pineconed centerpiece was the same, and as Ricky had announced before the meal came together, it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving at the Flanigan’s if the table looked different. Cody pitched in too, filling the crystal goblets with sparkling cider and letting his eyes linger on Bailey’s when their paths crossed.

Finally the meal was spread out on the kitchen counter, the plates stacked at one end, and it was time to walk through the line and fill their plates. After they did, they took their places at the table and Bailey’s dad prayed—one of the most beautiful Thanksgiving prayers Bailey could remember. “We are grateful this day, Lord…because so many in our country will do without this year. Please know we are thankful for our health, our family, our friends, and our faith, and we ask that You continue to bless us not for our glory, but for Yours.”

After a round of
amens
, they continued with the other tradition everyone had come to look forward to. Around the room,
each of them would say what they were thankful for. As always, the opportunity started with Ricky. “One of the benefits of being the youngest,” he grinned at the others, his words barely distinguishable because of the mashed potatoes and gravy filling his mouth.

The answers were similar to other years. The boys were thankful for their family, for football, for their Savior, and—on this night—for the presence of Cody among them. Bailey smiled when her mom said she was thankful Bailey was done filming
Unlocked
. “Every day was a little crazy back then,” she gave Bailey a weary smile. “A few times we even had the paparazzi camping out at the end of the driveway.”

Bailey, too, was thankful the filming was finished, but she added she was even more thankful for something else. “I’m ready for life to move on.” She kept her glance discreet, but she couldn’t help look at Cody. “Everything sort of seemed on hold while we were filming.”

Cody was next, though he was seated across from Bailey because Ricky and BJ had called dibs on sitting beside him. “I’m thankful for God’s guidance.” He gave a slight nod, and he looked at Bailey’s parents. “I’ve felt that pretty strongly lately.”

His answer set off the first screeching siren of alarm in Bailey’s otherwise quiet heart. God’s guidance? Meaning what? That Cody had undergone a transformation or a change of heart in some way recently? She tried not to think about it, while her Dad explained he was thankful for the spiritual growth in the Flanigan kids. Whatever Cody had meant by that, she would ask him later. As soon as they had a moment.

Bailey meant for that time to come as soon as dinner was finished, but they were still clearing the dinner plates when the doorbell rang. Cody must’ve seen her expression fall a little because he came up alongside her with a stack of dishes. “Don’t
worry.” He set the plates down in the sink and hugged her shoulders. “I’ll stay late. We’ll talk after everyone goes.”

Bailey could barely hear him, barely focus on the words he was saying because this was the first time he’d touched her in far too long. The feel of his arm around her was like home to her, so right it practically hurt when he moved back to the table for another load of dishes. Whatever he wanted to talk to her about, the news couldn’t be bad, right? Cody was here and he was loved by everyone in her family. Whatever guidance he’d been getting from God it must’ve been the sort of thing she’d been picturing—that they would come to an agreement to put the last few months behind them and move on. As if they’d never taken a break at all. Bailey wanted to know this instant what he was thinking and feeling, his intentions toward her.

But members of the Luke Baxter family were already streaming through the front door, bringing pumpkin pies into the kitchen and laughing about the warm weather this year and how the kids had helped carve the turkey. So Bailey resigned herself.

Whatever Cody wanted to tell her, it would have to wait.