“You mean you’re giving up your navy career to take care of your dad?”
Jake dismissed the implied sacrifice with a shrug. “I never intended to spend my life in the service. And even though it was a good life in many ways, I have to admit that I’m getting a little tired of being a nomad. The idea of settling down in one place is beginning to appeal to me. Rob may be having some career problems at the moment, but I’m starting to envy his life— the wife, the kids, the picket fence.”
“So you’ve been…alone all these years?” she said tentatively.
“I never married, either, Maggie,” he told her quietly.
A strange feeling of lightness swept over her, but she ignored it and focused on a less volatile topic. “So how does your dad feel about this move?”
Jake’s face grew troubled. “Not happy, I’m afraid. You know how independent Dad always was. He hasn’t taken kindly to having to rely on his kids to take care of him. Rob says it wasn’t too bad at first, when Dad thought he’d eventually be able to go home. But since we decided that’s not an option, he’s been pretty despondent. He knows we’re right, but that hasn’t made it any easier for him to accept. And it’s even worse now that he realizes he’ll be stuck with me instead of Rob, at least for a while.”
Maggie eyed Jake assessingly. His last comment had been made lightly, but she suspected his tone masked deeper feelings. She knew his parents hadn’t been happy when he’d walked out on her. They’d apologized on his behalf more times than she could count. But surely, after all these years, his father didn’t still hold a grudge against his son on her behalf. There had to be more to their troubled relationship than that
“I take it you and your dad don’t get along that well,” she probed carefully.
Jake gave a short, mirthless laugh. “You might say that As I’m sure you know, Dad was very disappointed in me after I…after we broke up. And he didn’t hold back his feelings on the subject, either. So I made fewer trips home, which only seemed to fuel the fire. I did go home more often after Mom’s stroke, but not enough to suit Dad. He figured I’d abandoned them, too, I guess.”
Maggie looked at him in surprise. Abandoned them, too? That was an incriminating word choice. Did it mean that he regretted his decision twelve years ago to break up with her? Had guilt followed him all these years as he roamed around the world? She’d never really considered that. She figured once he’d made his decision he’s simply gone on with his life, that eventually memories of her and their time together had faded. But his words implied otherwise.
“Anyway, like it or not, we’re stuck with each other,” Jake continued. “And I’m determined to make the best of it In fact, to be perfectly honest, I hope we can mend the rift between us. Dad and I used to be close, and…well, I’ve missed that all these years.”
Once again, Maggie was taken aback by Jake’s admission. He’d never been the kind of man who talked much about feelings. Maybe the willingness to do so had come with maturity, she speculated. Once you felt comfortable with your life and had proven your abilities, it was easier to admit other limitations without feeling threatened. Jake struck her as being a very secure man in most aspects of his life. Confident and in control. Yet he’d been unable to reestablish a good relationship with his father. And he wasn’t too proud to admit it.
“Well, the opportunity will certainly be there now,” Maggie pointed out encouragingly. “I’m sure your dad will come around.”
Jake shook his head skeptically. “I’m not so sure. But I have to try at least Rob has his hands full, and we can’t go back on our promise to Mom. Besides, Rob’s done more than his share with Dad since Mom died. It’s only right I take my turn.”
Maggie stared at Jake. The man was full of surprises. Through the years she’d gradually convinced herself that he was a self-centered, spoiled, irresponsible man who had probably grown even more so with age. But the decisions he’d made regarding his father, his acceptance of his duty, his willingness to honor the promise to his mother at the expense of his career, weren’t the actions of a selfish man. They spoke of integrity and principal and dependability. Maggie had to admit that his behavior was admirable. But it was a grudging admission, and certainly not one she cared to verbalize.
“Excuse me, but there’s a call for you, Mr. West,” Abby interrupted, pausing beside the table, her gaze blatantly curious as it moved from Jake to Maggie. “A man named Dennis Richards.”
Jake frowned. “He must not have been able to switch the time for the first interview after all. Will you wait, Maggie? I’ll be right back.”
“Yes.”
“You can take the call on the phone in the foyer, at the desk,” Abby told him.
She watched Jake leave, then turned to Maggie, her eyes shining. “Were you really engaged to him once?” she asked incredulously.
Maggie briefly glanced in the direction Jake had disappeared and nodded. “It’s a long story, honey. And it happened a long time ago.”
“But he’s back now,” Abby pointed out eagerly. “Who knows? Maybe—”
“Maybe we should try not to let our imaginations run away with us,” Maggie advised, cutting off her niece’s fanciful speculations.
“But what’s he doing here?” Abby persisted.
“He’s on his way to Castine. He’s considering a job at the Maritime Academy.”
“You mean he might be living less than twenty miles away?” Abby was clearly elated.
“Maybe,” Maggie admitted reluctantly.
“Wow!” Abby repeated “Wait till I tell Allison!”
Before Maggie could respond, Abby turned on her heel and disappeared into the kitchen. Maggie shook her head helplessly, then propped her chin on her hand, a pensive frown on her face as she considered the situation.
Jake had reappeared in her life after twelve years. “Shock” was hardly adequate to describe her reaction. But somehow she’d made it through the last half hour or so. Perhaps the Lord had taken pity on her and sent an extra dose of courage her way. Still, it had taken every ounce of her willpower and fortitude to act as if Jake’s presence hadn’t been a jolting experience that left her reeling emotionally.
She had succeeded, though, and congratulated herself for that. But a thirty-minute encounter was one thing. How on earth would she cope if the man lived just down the road? If she knew every time she went out that she might run into him—at the grocery store, on the street, in the park? The thought unnerved her completely.
What unnerved her even more was the realization that the man still had the power to unnerve her. She resented that. After all, he was nothing to her anymore. Her life was full and rich as it was. She had two loving “daughters,” an artistic talent that gave her great joy, a satisfying career and a solid faith that continued to sustain her. What more could she ask for?
But Maggie knew the answer to that question, she admitted with a sigh. Though she’d long ago reconciled herself to the fact that the single life seemed to be God’s plan for her, deep in her heart she still yearned for someone to share it with. Having once loved deeply, she knew what joy love could bring. She
