Knots twisted in Nick’s chest. His mother was a good woman, and the horrible stroke had taken away her identity. She couldn’t do much for herself. She lay there being fed and diapered like a baby. The image tore at him.
“I’ll go this week. I promise.”
Martin focused sad eyes on him. “It’s not easy, Nick. At least make an effort.”
Nick nodded but couldn’t control a rebuttal. “And will you make an effort to be genial to Steph and Fred?”
Martin frowned. “Fred? Is that her husband?” He flashed an accusing look. “I thought you had your eye on the woman.”
Heat boiled in Nick’s chest. “Fred’s the dog, and since when do I get involved with married women?”
“That doesn’t stop some people. It didn’t slow down Denise.”
Nick’s anger softened. “I’m sorry, Martin. Denise did something terribly wrong, and I don’t condone it, either.”
Martin shook his head and reached for another dish. “I’m sorry for snapping.”
Surprised at his brother’s apology, Nick let it drop. But he couldn’t forget Martin’s comment about his interest in Steph. Sure, she’d gotten his attention, and he’d had fun doing a little flirting himself, but that’s all it was. They’d just met. Those things happened in movies not real life.
Still his defense rose. Martin often came off badly to strangers. “Is there something wrong with being neighborly?”
Martin lowered another carton onto the counter. “I don’t care what you do, but I don’t have time to be hanging over the fence, making small talk. I have a business to run.”
Nick took a lengthy breath and closed his mouth. The Bible said turn the other cheek, and that’s what he’d learned to do with Martin. If he knew what made his brother so one-sided, he might be able to help him.
As he delved into the next box, Nick kept silent. He’d always tried to get along with people. He’d go out of his way to be kind. Making friends only took a smile and a few kind words. Why couldn’t Martin do that?
Nick closed his eyes picturing the dogs bounding back and forth along the fence and brushing their noses together, bonding a new friendship, but the dogs faded. In their place, Steph’s image filled his mind, and he tried to block it. Why think about a hopeless situation? Relationships took time. That’s why Martin’s business was over the top while his was creeping on all fours.
Nick drew in a deep breath. He didn’t have time for a woman in his life now. Maybe never.
His heart skipped a beat. Who was he trying to convince?
“Heel.” Steph tightened the leash. Teaching Fred to stay at her side seemed her biggest challenge. And Fred’s. In the yard he followed her well, but when he had free rein outside the fence, the dog’s spirit grew, and he wanted to run. Once he calmed down, he’d be a winner and her friend Molly would be proud.
Steph couldn’t believe Molly’s wedding was so soon. Her bridesmaid dress fitting was scheduled the following week, and three weeks later, Molly would enjoy her big day.
The big day. Her own wedding sank into her thoughts. People married with great hopes and plans. She and Doug had. But something went wrong. He’d always been a little moody. She’d learned to stay out of his way at those times, but after the wedding, she had no home to run to. They shared a life, which meant she shared his emotional nosedives.
She’d urged him to see a doctor, to get help, but he was too proud, too positive that everyone else had the problem and not him. He’d almost convinced her. Maybe he had.
When she’d talked with Molly about this a couple years later, Molly told her to lean on the Lord. She didn’t know the Lord, and if she had, Steph wasn’t sure that even God could have helped. And if a God existed—Molly insisted He did—then why hadn’t He helped her when she needed Him the most?
That’s one thing she admired in Molly. She stuck to her faith, and she had an answer for everything. She’d asked Molly why God let bad things happen. Molly’s answer? She told Steph two things. First God gave His children free will, and Eve used it. She ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge that brought sin and evil into the world. Steph had to agree. People often caused their own problems—their own doubts and sinful ways. Steph still couldn’t decide about Molly’s explanation. Why didn’t the Lord stop Eve from eating the fruit if He knew everything?
Molly’s explanation: God didn’t want to be a puppeteer. Steph chuckled. Molly said He wanted His children to behave and love Him like a Father for who He was and not because they had no choice. After Steph thought about it, that made sense. If she ever had children, she would want them to choose to love her and not love her because they were forced.
Molly’s second explanation: through difficulties people learn. They grow and strengthen. They lean on God for help, and that binds them together. That made sense, too.
Steph rubbed her head. Sometimes she’d almost wanted to read the Bible and see if Molly knew what she was talking about. Steph questioned a lot of things. Even now she questioned what she could have done to make her marriage better. She wondered if she were at fault as Doug had accused her. Maybe she should have gone for help. A counselor might have taught her how to handle Doug’s moods, his anger, his—
“Fred, heel.” She gave the leash a quick tug and brought him to her side, grateful he’d pulled her away from her wallowing.
Steph looked up at the summer sky, hoping Molly’s wedding day would be as warm and cheerful. Weddings and funerals in the rain were terrible.
Funerals? Why did she let that slip into her mind?
Fred tugged again and jerked her forward. When Steph looked ahead, she understood Fred’s motivation. Suzette. She gained momentum, pleased to see Nick at the opposite end of the leash.
Nick waved, a smile growing on his face.
Fred’s enthusiasm quickened her steps even more. She waved back, and along with the leash, Steph felt her chest tighten.
“I stopped by your house to see if you wanted to walk Fred, but you weren’t there.”
She chuckled, watching Suzette wrap around his legs while he tried to untangle her. “That’s because I was here.”
He looked as good today as he did when she’d met him a few days earlier. Today he wore earth-toned colors, the collar of his sport shirt peaking above a rust-colored pullover.
“So once again, you’re the dog walker.”
“Always.” He stood in front of her while Suzette and Fred pressed their noses together, then tugged at their restraints.
Her spirit lifted looking into his smiling eyes, but the usual caution followed. She wished her heart listened to the warning.
Nick jerked with Suzette’s enthusiastic tug. He tipped his head toward the park. “Want to let the dogs run?”
The talk she’d given herself about not getting involved fluttered away.
