Tender Love (11 page)

To Mark's credit, Alice knew he hadn't once considered any plans that didn't include Gran, who really wasn't his responsibility.

“We should never have bought this house. I know it now and I knew it at the time—we couldn't afford the high payments, but we could have made it if Clarice and Eddie hadn't gotten sick.”

“You haven't closed any deal yet, I suppose.”

“No—I won't make a decision until I talk it over with the children and try to explain to them why a
move is necessary. I'm still hoping for a house with four bedrooms, even if the rooms are small.” Most of the time he'd been talking, Mark had looked down at the glass he was twirling on the tabletop, but now he looked directly at Alice. “What do you think about it?”

She smiled at him. “There wouldn't be any place for a live-in nanny in a smaller home, and perhaps that's just as well.”

Emotion darkened his eyes, and instead of being blue as the sky, they darkened to the shade of a tranquil lake. “I won't buy any house that doesn't have room for you.”

Her pulse quickened at this declaration, but she said, “I can live in an apartment and come in during the day. In fact, after the remarks my mother made yesterday, I'm wondering if that isn't a good idea anyway.”

“Oh, so that's what upset you! That's the reason I haven't told you before we'll have to move. I was afraid that would be your reaction.”

“If this move will ease your burden, you shouldn't be concerned about me. I can come early in the morning, get the children off to school, and be here when they come home from school and stay until after dinner. We can manage all right.”

He shook his head. “It may come to that, but it's the last alternative I'll consider.” He smiled slightly. “And what comments did your mother make?”

“Mom has always had a tendency to disagree with my decisions, which I could understand if I was still a girl. She says it isn't good for my reputation to be staying here. I told her that we're always well chaperoned and have never been in the house by our
selves, but she was unconvinced. I'm not concerned about her attitude—I've lived with it all of my life—but I do wonder if others share that same opinion.”

“Surely not! I wouldn't have considered a live-in nanny if Gran hadn't been here.”

“I suppose it wouldn't have bothered me, if I didn't have some guilt about the way I feel about you. The thing is, Mark, I don't want to be responsible for any hint of scandal about you. I pray daily that you'll return to the ministry God called you to. I don't believe you can be content until you take up the cross you promised to carry for Him. When that happens, I don't want anyone to question the nature of our relationship.”

He shook his head slowly, and rubbed his chin with his hand. “You're right—I've been miserable since I accepted the position at the bank, which I thought would alleviate my financial problems, and not only have they gotten heavier, but my spiritual burden has, too. The only time I'm content is when I'm at home, and you know the reason for that.”

Suppressing a desire to circle the table and clasp him in comforting arms, Alice stayed remained seated, and she said, “I try to shield you from as many problems as I can, and—” she smiled at him “—you know the reason for that.” She stood up and dumped the last of her coffee down the sink. “It's time for us to talk about a less sensitive subject—what about the dog?”

Mark shook his head stubbornly. “I'm not ready to talk about the dog yet.” She leaned back against the sink cabinet. “Right now, I have to put the welfare and security of Kristin and Eddie before my own happiness. You do understand that?”

“Of course—you don't have to say anything more.”

“I can never say all the things I want to say, but hear me out this once. I can't plan very far into the future yet, but in a few months I hope my situation has improved until I can talk about us. When that time comes, will you listen?”

“Yes, Mark, but until then I'm only the nanny, and we both have to remember that. There's a scripture verse that you know better than I, but it's the key to the way we must approach our relationship. ‘If our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.' As long as we haven't done anything wrong, I'll try not to worry much about others. I just want our consciences clear.”

A weary sigh escaped his lips. “I agree. Now what's this about a dog?”

“No matter where you live, we've promised the kids a dog.”

“What do you want to do with it?”

“Keep him in the utility room for a few weeks, and then take the dog to a house in the yard. Those pups are basset hounds, and hardy animals, so it isn't necessary for him to stay inside.”

“Suits me.”

“And another thing, I have access to a beach house on a private strip of land north of Virginia Beach. Will you let me take the kids and Gran down there for a week before school starts? It wouldn't cost you anything. It would be a great opportunity for them, but I worry about leaving you alone.”

“Gran probably won't go.”

“I'm not so sure—she was very lonely while we were at the farm.”

“I'd miss you, but I don't want to prevent the children from having some fun. They've never had the opportunity to do these things—with Eddie and Clarice both being sick, we never had a family vacation.”

“Do you have any vacation coming?”

“My boss told me to take off a few days. I could probably come down for part of the time you're at the beach.”

“Oh, that would be great, Mark. The kids would love it.”

He got up from the table and towering over her, he gave her a quick hug. Smiling, he said, “As if the two of us won't also.”

“Then I'll make arrangements about our housing, and we should get the puppy before we leave. The children and I can pick out a dog house tomorrow, and go after the pup in a few days.”

The next afternoon Erin invited Kristin and Eddie over to play. While waiting for the washer repairman, Alice had some free time. With some misgiving, Alice went into Mark's home office. The desk wasn't locked, and being careful not to leave any evidence of her searching, she found a file containing the record of what Mark owed on the house and where the loan was held. She jotted down this information and other facts she thought would be needed and replaced the file in the desk.

The repairman finished an hour before she was to pick up Kristin and Eddie, so Alice drove to a booth in a shopping center and telephoned her accountant, Melvin Haycraft. He'd been John's financial advisor
for years, and Alice had an amiable working association with him. He'd often complimented Alice on her business decisions, but he was leery of her present proposal.

“I want you to anonymously make some payments on Mark Tanner's house. I have information that will help you look into it. I'll need your advice on the best way to do it.”

Alice read the information she'd taken from the file in Mark's desk.

“You know there's a limit to the amount of money you can give away in a year.”

“I know that, but I'm sure you can find a loophole if need be.”

“Who is this Mark Tanner? A relative of yours?”

“I told you I'd taken a nanny position. Mark Tanner is my employer—I take care of his children, and if he doesn't get some help, he's going to lose his house. I don't expect to pay all of the debt, but I want to assume enough to give him the boost he needs. You find out how much that will amount to, and I'll put my request in writing. Above all, I don't want
anyone
to know where the money comes from, and it has to be done as soon as possible.”

“Well, I'll do it, but against my better judgment. And for goodness sakes, don't give away any more money. You've given your sister and parents too much already. You have a secure investment, but you can't keep it secure by giving away thousands of dollars on a whim.”

“It isn't exactly a whim. I'll telephone you again in a few days. Don't try to contact me.”

 

Two days later, Alice took the children to the farm to choose the pup. She'd expected a quarrel as to
which dog they'd take, but they both preferred the runt of the litter, an almost white male with long brown ears and a few soft brown spots on his soft hair. The mature dog would eventually have some black patches of hair. She'd brought a box from the house to transport the animal, and he did a lot of whining and clawing as they drove down the highway.

While they'd agreed on the pup they wanted, Kristin and Eddie bickered most of the way home over the name of their pet.

“Each of you write down the names you prefer, and we'll put those names in a box and have your daddy draw out a name when he comes home tonight. Is that fair enough?”

“But, Alice, I can't write,” Eddie protested.

Laughing, she said, “I'd forgotten that little detail. When we get home, you can whisper to me the names you like, and I'll write them down for you.”

“Are you going to make him sleep out in the yard tonight?” Kristin asked.

“He can stay in the utility room for a week or so at night, but he does need to be out there during the day. We'll stop at the pet store and buy some food, and then you and your father can decide on your duties in caring for the dog.”

As soon as he walked in the door, the two children rushed at Mark. “You have to draw out the name, so we'll know what to call the puppy,” Kristin shouted. “Hurry.”

Eddie picked up the box from the kitchen table. Mark closed his eyes, stirred the pieces of paper, and drew out one.

“What is it?” Eddie asked.

Mark spread the paper on the table. “Buffy,” he said.

“That's the name I chose,” Kristin said.

“I did, too, didn't I, Alice? You know that's the name I wanted.”

“That's a relief,” Alice said in an aside to Mark. “Then both of you should be happy. Buffy, it is.”

The children pulled at Mark's hands to take him into the backyard to see Buffy, while Alice made last-minute preparations for their meal and called to Gran that the food was almost ready.

“Dr. Zane's receptionist telephoned today to remind you that Eddie has a checkup next Tuesday afternoon.” Alice said when they sat down for dinner.

“I knew it was coming up soon. We wanted the exam before he starts to kindergarten.”

“Shall I take him?”

“I'll arrange to take an hour or two off from work, but I do want you to go with us to hear the doctor's diagnosis.”

“I'll bring Eddie down to the office, and we can go from there—that will save you the time coming out here after us.”

 

When Alice set out with Eddie for the appointment, he looked little and forlorn in the car seat.

“There's nothing to be afraid of, Eddie. This is just a routine checkup, and I'm sure the doctor is going to be pleased with how you've grown this summer. I'll tell you what, I'll give you a dollar for every pound you've gained.”

Even the promise of money didn't encourage Eddie much.

“But what if he says I can't go to kindergarten? That's what Ethel said would happen.”

Although Ethel's visits weren't as frequent, she still dropped in once or twice a week, and Alice didn't monitor what went on when she was with the children. As long as Mark didn't object to Ethel's visits, what could she do?

“I doubt that. So don't worry about it.”

“A dollar for every pound, Alice?”

“That's right.”

“But what if I've gained ten pounds?”

“Then you'll have a nice ten-dollar bill to spend any way you want to. What would you like to buy?” she asked, pleased she'd gotten his mind off the outcome of the doctor's exam for the moment. Eddie was still mentioning items he would like to buy when they arrived at the bank's parking lot, where Mark was already waiting in his station wagon.

“Alice is going to give me a dollar for every pound I've gained,” Eddie announced as soon as they transferred from the van to Mark's vehicle.

Mark frowned at her, and she shuddered inwardly to consider his reaction if he found out she was reducing his house loan.

“Eddie is jittery about this trip to the doctor because Ethel told him he wasn't well enough to go to kindergarten. He needed something to keep his mind off the exam.”

“I'll admit it's a good idea, but I'm already so much in your debt, I'll never be able to repay you.”

“When you give someone a gift, it doesn't have to be repaid. You don't owe me anything, Mark.”
Had she been wrong to pay on his house loan without asking him?

When they reached the waiting room, instead of sitting with his father, Eddie sat on the chair next to Alice's and snuggled against her. She noticed frequently that while Kristin wanted to be by Mark's side all of the time, Eddie depended more on Alice than he did his father. Was this because the child missed a mother's love? No doubt he could barely remember when Clarice was physically able to mother him. If Mark had noticed Eddie's affinity for Alice, he hadn't mentioned it.

Alice picked up a book from the nearby table. It was a book about farm animals. “Let's see what you learned about the animals we saw at the farm. Do you recognize any of these words?”

Eddie soon became engrossed in the pictures and captions, completely relaxed when his name was called, but he held Alice's hand when they went down the hallway to Dr. Zane's office.

“Doctor,” Mark introduced them, “this is Alice Larkin, the children's nanny. I wanted her to hear your report on Eddie.”

Dr. Zane, a stalwart man in his forties, shook hands with Alice. “I've talked with Mrs. Larkin over the phone.” He turned to Eddie. “And who's this strapping young fellow you've brought with you today?”