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Leaning her head against the door, she said, “Jordan’s fixing BLTs. I’m leaving for the restaurant. When I get home, we’ll discuss this further, Lisa.”
“No, we won’t! You were rude to Ryan. Now he’ll never speak to me again.”
“Listen up, kiddo. We have rules about schoolwork being a priority. You broke them big-time. Are you aware that your counselor phoned me to say you haven’t handed in some vital assignments, and you’ve slipped from an A to a C in two classes?”
“I don’t care!” The sobbing intensified. It hurt to hear how broken-hearted her daughter sounded. Rebecca was torn between calling Darcy back and canceling work tonight, or digging deeper and simply attending to duty.
Just as it had been ever since her divorce fifteen years ago, duty won. Turning away from Lisa’s door, Rebecca pulled a sweater from her closet and ran a brush through her tangled hair.
“Jordan,” she called from the front door. “I’ll do my best to catch the eleven-twenty bus. I hope I’ll be home by midnight.”
Her son stepped out of the kitchen, sandwich in hand. “I wish you only had to work at the beauty shop, Mom. Me and Lisa never get to hang with friends. Like Lisa said, we aren’t babies anymore. I don’t understand why you won’t trust us.”
“I trust you, Jordan. Honey, I work two jobs so that your future, and Lisa’s, will be secure. Be better than mine. You’ll have plenty of time after you get your education to hang out with friends.”
“Maybe we’d rather have a little fun now.” His eyes remained darkly accusatory as he bit into his sandwich.
Rebecca had the door open, and she saw her bus lumbering through the intersection, so she had to leave immediately or put Darcy in a bind.
She hated to go feeling as if she’d failed both her kids. All of this unhappiness had come about in a matter of weeks. Because of that boy—Ryan Lane.
Maybe Darcy could help her decide whether to contact the boy’s father.
Running to catch her bus, Rebecca was out of breath when she climbed on and took the first available window seat. The bus was nearly empty, so Rebecca had a seat by herself. The long ride, unfortunately, allowed her too much time to think.
Had she been wrong to hide so much of her past from her children? They knew she’d grown up in a Mennonite community in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Once or twice she’d probably mentioned working from dawn to dark in the community orchards and in the sheds, stirring hot vats of apple butter and peach preserves. Maybe she hadn’t been clear enough that leaving the order and her family had had nothing to do with the work, but with the highly restrictive lifestyle. That was why she’d married Jack. They’d both wanted out.
Lisa and Jordan knew she’d been estranged from her folks since before they were born. They seemed to accept the lack of grandparents, so Rebecca had never felt a need to explain the practice of shunning.
But even prior to the shunning, Rebecca had always felt stifled in the small community. She had routinely spent hours in a barren chapel kneeling on hard wooden planks. Her parents, the Epps, did shop occasionally in the nearby town. It was on those outings that Rebecca glimpsed how other people lived. People not bound by austere beliefs.
By the time she was in high school, many of her friends had quit school to work on the family farm. Very few attended the secular public school in Salem.
Families in her community were split between Mennonite and a more rigid sect—the Amish branch of the Anabaptist-Mennonites. The Amish eschewed all modern conveniences and traveled by horse and buggy. Rebecca’s family, being just as spiritually focused but slightly less culturally separatist, allowed her to ride the school bus that stopped at the bottom of their hill.
Her first day of high school, she’d shared a seat with Lacy Hoerner, another freshman, who turned out to be a font of information. Rebecca had been like a sponge. Every day her book bag held a sandwich, an apple and a Bible. Lacy’s was more like a portable cosmetic counter, full of lipstick, eye shadow, mascara and nail polish in every color of the rainbow. As well, Lacy was a master at conjuring up all the latest hairstyles. Rebecca liked being her model and, right then, longed to be a beautician one day. That was the most enjoyable period of her life. Then her brother, Mark, two years older and far more aligned with the church’s teachings, tattled to their parents and ruined everything.
Her parents came down on her hard. It was the end of her schooling in town. The end of all future trips there. She had tried to give up wanting to learn, tried to go home and be the dutiful Mennonite daughter. But she wasn’t able to do it. That small taste of the outside world led to a series of decisions that seemed right at the time, but eventually proved to be a big mistake. Even so, she’d relive even the worst years to be able to have her children.
That was why it had felt like a knife in her heart when Lisa announced today that she wished she could go live with her father.
The bus slowed, jerking Rebecca out of her memories. She looked out the window and saw she’d arrived at the stop a block from the Tumbleweed. She thanked the driver as she swung down. Walking the block blew the cobwebs of the past from her mind.
Rebecca was in the kitchen, tying on her apron, when one realization became very clear. No, she couldn’t roll back time, but she could try to keep Lisa from messing up her life. “I’m going to contact Ryan Lane’s dad,” she muttered.
“Uh-oh. Talking to yourself is a bad sign,” Darcy Blackburn said in a cheery voice from right behind Rebecca.
Startled, Rebecca smacked her elbow on the wall. “Jeez, Darcy, don’t sneak up on me like that.”
The lanky blonde shifted two plates of steaming meatloaf. “Honey, a six-foot woman in a size-ten shoe never sneaks anywhere. Are you okay?” she added. “You’ve been frowning since you walked in.”
“It’s Lisa. She’s been goofing off, skipping study time to hang with a boy. A baseball player of all things.”
“Haven’t we taught that girl anything?” Darcy rolled her eyes. “Well, you don’t complain about your ex so much. But Lisa’s heard me fighting with Kevin over child support more than once. I’m certainly not one to hold back how I feel about living two steps from welfare because I stupidly left high school to marry Mr. Wrong.”
“True. Hey, you’d better deliver those plates before they go cold. Maybe we can catch a minute later to talk. I could use some advice before I dive into the next dreaded mother-daughter chat.”
“Glad I have four boys. I expect I will go through the terrible teens, but I figure I’ll muddle through. Apparently it’s against the law to lock ’em in a closet until they gain some sense.”
“Darcy!”
“Just kidding,” she called and sped off to her customers.
Sure, Darcy could joke. But just wait until one of her boys did something to break her heart. As Rebecca picked up meals from the cook and delivered them, she thought how vociferously Darcy insisted she’d never get married again. Rebecca hadn’t ruled out the possibility, but she never had time to meet anyone.
Work kept her from focusing on her personal problems for the rest of her shift. The Tumbleweed’s proximity to the River Walk meant they had a steady stream of customers. The two friends never found time to chat. At ten-thirty, Rebecca balanced the till, then helped Darcy set up tables for the breakfast crowd.
“I’d offer you a lift home,” Darcy said, “but my mom has the boys. I only use her in emergencies, and they’re too rambunctious for her to handle over a long evening.”
“What happened to your new sitter? Lisa said she seemed great.”
“Yeah, well, turned out she was pregnant. Her folks pressured her to go back to the jerk for the sake of the baby.” Darcy made a sour face. “Been there, done that. I told her all that got me was the twins. I predict she’ll learn that it takes more than a baby to save a bad marriage. Why is it so difficult to find a reliable sitter? Constant turnover is hard on my boys.”
“Why not ask Lisa to fill in? That could solve my problem temporarily. If you make it clear she’s not to have friends over, maybe it would discourage this boyfriend thing.”
“You think this kid will dump Lisa if she stops mooning over him at his baseball games? Wouldn’t surprise me. Men want all the attention focused on them.”
“Well, Lisa needs college money. And she loves sitting for your boys.”
“I’ll phone her when I get home. Do you think she’ll still be awake? And what about her shifts here?”
“I’m sure Max will work around your schedule. Lisa plans to be an elementary school teacher. She loves doing creative stuff with your boys.”
“So do I. Unfortunately I’m usually too tired. Everything falls on me since Kevin sailed off into the sunset with his most recent bimbo. Honestly, how can I expect the boys to grow up when their dad hasn’t? You haven’t heard the latest. She’s barely out of her teens, but she has boobs out to here.” Darcy cupped her hands away from her chest. She was still built like the runner she’d been when she first married Kevin. “Come let me out. It upsets me to talk about Kevin. He’ll never change.”
Rebecca lingered at the door. “It’s not fair that you have to work two jobs to provide for his boys, and he gets to squander his money on a yacht to impress other women. Have you talked to your lawyer about upping his support?”
“She tells me boats are intangible assets.” Darcy grimaced.
“You mean if I sell my house and buy a boat my kids will qualify for college grants?”
“Raising kids on a boat isn’t practical. And you do everything possible to give your kids a nice, normal life.”
And that, Rebecca decided after Darcy left, was the bottom line—even if Lisa suddenly didn’t agree.
Which she didn’t. When Rebecca wearily dragged herself in on the dot of midnight, Lisa was still angry.
“It’s late and we’re both tired, kiddo. All I’m going to say is that I consider it important that we eat together as a family. You let us down today, not to mention blowing off family time to attend an athletic event I knew nothing about.”
“I didn’t tell you,” Lisa said, slamming her pencil down on the kitchen table, “because I wanted to avoid this argument. It’s not Ryan’s fault you and Daddy had a horrid marriage. You are just so biased against men.”
“I am not. Why would you say that?”
“I wonder.” Lisa pursed her lips. “Do you think Jordan and I don’t hear you and Darcy bashing men? Well, mostly Darcy, but you don’t stop her. By the way, she phoned asking me to babysit. I’m sure you had her say I can’t invite Ryan to her house.”
Rebecca’s casual shrug was the same as an admission. “You turned her down?”
“No, but I have a question. How will her boys or Jordan learn to be good husbands and fathers if all they hear is you and Darcy griping about the men you married?”
“I beg your pardon? When have I ever griped about your father?”
“If he’s not a sleaze, why can’t we see him? I’ll bet he left because you nagged. Or maybe because you cheated on him.”
“I don’t owe you any explanation, young lady. And as for me being unfaithful…that’s not even close. Anyway, this isn’t about me, Lisa. It’s about you. I work two jobs so you can have a stable life. You need to do your part by not letting your grades slip.”
“Everything always comes back to you and your jobs.”
“Yes, it does. I make no secret of the fact that my lack of education was a drawback. That’s why I nag you. A woman, especially, needs college so she can support a family should her marriage fail. You’ve seen how many marriages fall apart.”
“But all my friends at school have boyfriends, and they’re still planning to go to college. Ryan Lane is the nicest boy I’ve ever met. You can’t stop me from seeing him. If I can’t bring him home, Mother, I’ll meet him someplace else.” Grabbing her books, Lisa stalked from the room.
Rebecca sagged. So much for thinking she could reason with her daughter. Come hell or high water, she needed to contact Ryan Lane’s father.
Chapter Two
DURING A BREAK between morning clients at the salon the following week, Rebecca called Lisa’s school counselor. Mrs. Feldman agreed with Rebecca that Lisa’s infatuation with Ryan Lane was probably the main reason behind Lisa’s slipping grades. As they chatted, Rebecca found out a bit more about the Lane family. Grant Lane had recently retired from the air force as a colonel and moved to San Antonio with his two children, Ryan and a young daughter, Brandy.
After the conversation with the counselor, Rebecca got the Lanes’ number from directory assistance. Determined to solve this issue parent-to-parent, Rebecca dialed before she could get cold feet.
GRANT LANE, who’d just transferred a load of his daughter’s clothes from the washer to the dryer, walked into his kitchen to pour his first cup of morning coffee. The phone rang. He grabbed it, worried that something had happened to Ryan or Brandy.
“Hello.”
“Mr. Lane, my name is Rebecca Geroux. I don’t know if you’re aware, but your son, Ryan, and my daughter, Lisa, seem to be dating. Until recently, my daughter was a straight-A student. Now her grades are slipping, and I believe it’s because she’s infatuated with your son.”
“I’m sorry, who is this?”
“I’m Lisa Geroux’s mother, Rebecca. I’m calling from work, so unfortunately I can’t talk long. The thing is, Mr. Lane, Lisa needs to keep her grades up in order to qualify for college scholarships. Frankly, Ryan is a huge distraction. I’m appealing to you, hoping you’ll influence him.”
Grant took a slug of the hot coffee to jump-start his brain and let him piece together the choppy facts the woman threw at him. It was news to him that Ryan had a girlfriend. They weren’t exactly on the greatest terms. Anyhow, Ryan was almost eighteen. Grant would worry if he didn’t have girlfriends. “Well, Mrs. Geroux, I’m happy to hear Ryan has made friends, being new in San Antonio and all.”
“This is getting out of hand. Lisa’s never cared for sports, and now she’s throwing away valuable study time watching your son play baseball. It’s also come to my attention that after the game, when Lisa’s supposed to be babysitting for one of my co-workers, Ryan takes her—well, all of them—to a fast-food restaurant where they waste several hours she could use for studying. Are you saying this isn’t affecting Ryan’s schoolwork?”
“Not that I’ve seen. Ryan’s always been a good student.” Grant wasn’t about to tell this woman, a perfect stranger, that his son didn’t confide in him and he had no idea what Ryan’s grades were like. Their rapport had never been great, and it’d gotten worse since Grant’s retirement—when he’d really become a full-time dad.
But maybe he could find out more from Mrs. Geroux. He cleared his throat. “I can see you’re better informed about all of this than I am. Tell you what, I’d be willing to meet with you and your husband to explore this further. Of course, it’ll have to be when Ryan’s not around. Or his sister. I have a younger daughter, and it’s just me. I mean, I’m a single parent.”
“So am I. Meeting you could be difficult, which is why I phoned. I work two jobs, Mr. Lane, so I don’t have much free time.”
“Please…call me Grant. I really do think we need to discuss this in more depth. I’m not convinced I want to interfere in my son’s school friendships.”
“Shoot, my next client just arrived. I need to hang up and go back to work, uh…Grant. I have to say I’m disappointed. I assumed you’d work with me once I explained the situation.”
Grant fiddled with his coffee cup. Mrs. Geroux’s displeasure was telegraphed clearly, and he felt bad for her. “Is it possible for you to get away from work for an hour or so tomorrow? I’ll give you my address. If you can drop by here, you can follow me to our neighborhood café. We can talk over coffee or breakfast if you’d like to meet before work.”
“Tomorrow might be okay. What time? I’ll need to move or cancel clients, but I’m serious about getting Lisa back on track.”
“How does nine-fifteen sound?”
“I’ll make it work. It’s that important, Mr. Lane.”
“Grant,” he reminded her. Then gave her his address and precise directions. After he hung up, Grant wondered if he’d regret offering to meet Rebecca Geroux. What if she turned out to be a lunatic? But it was the only way he could buy time to figure out a response. How would it have sounded if he’d admitted he didn’t even know Ryan was playing baseball, let alone that he had a girlfriend?
Obviously his relationship with his son needed attention, and it was also plain that the Geroux woman thought he could influence Ryan. For that to happen, he and his son would have to have a civil face-to-face talk. Grant would welcome one, but things had happened over Ryan’s lifetime to erect barriers between them. He wasn’t sure he knew how to break them down.
Grant wondered what Rebecca Geroux would think of a father who was on such a rocky footing with his eldest child. He reflected on the cause for his problems with Ryan. He could probably go all the way back to before Teresa died, when his obsession with flying and his career took precedence over his marriage. He’d failed to see how his wife’s troubled history affected their firstborn. For so long it had seemed easier to stay away and avoid the unhappiness—his and Teresa’s. All that time Teresa had raised Ryan alone, and he’d let her, because it was easier to be off building his career.
He supposed he was still looking for the easy way out.
WHEN REBECCA got home after work, she toyed with the idea of calling Mr. Lane back and canceling. After all, they should be able to come to an agreement over the phone. She formulated what she’d say to him as she stopped to collect the mail. Absently, she tore open and inspected the bank statement from the joint college savings account she held with Lisa. Rebecca noted her deposits listed for each week of the month. Lisa, though, hadn’t contributed a thing. Not one cent in nearly five weeks.
The paper fluttered in Rebecca’s hand as she tried to absorb the information. She sat for a moment before stuffing the statement back in its envelope. Then she took a deep breath in an effort to calm her temper. Why no deposits, when Lisa had started babysitting for Darcy and was earning more than in previous months?
Rebecca called the kids and started fixing supper. Once they were all seated at the table, she let them fill their plates before she pulled the statement out of her pocket. Rebecca laid it in front of Lisa, who blanched.
“Mom, I have a year and a half before I need to pay college tuition.”
“True, but each year the costs go up. What disturbs me, Lisa, is that we had a deal. Why didn’t you follow through?”
“I had school expenses,” Lisa mumbled. “Stuff my friends can get without a hassle. I haven’t asked you for money. Why do I have to explain what I’m buying?”
“What things do you need, Lisa? This is the first I’ve heard of any of this. I don’t want you kids to go without. I want you to fit in.”
Lisa got up, leaving her supper untouched on the table. “I’m so sick of money being such an issue. Our garbage disposal is still broken, Mother. Ryan would’ve fixed it at no charge.” Without waiting for a response, she stormed off toward her bedroom.
Ryan again. Rebecca swirled her peas and carrots through her steamed rice. She’d lost her appetite, too.
Jordan ate everything on his plate, but kept his head down until he reached for seconds and then noticed his mom’s listlessness. “Lisa bought an athletic booster card for baseball season so she could get a discount on the game tickets. And the girls I see her hang with have loads more cash to throw around.”
“Who are these girls? Do I know them or are they new friends she’s met with Ryan?”
Jordan shrugged. He finished his meal, then he, too, disappeared. By the time Rebecca tidied up and left for her job at the Tumbleweed, both kids were in their rooms, and she was once again convinced that she had to meet Grant Lane.
THE NEXT MORNING Rebecca gave herself two hours to meet Ryan’s father and enlist his help in breaking up their kids. She hadn’t handled yesterday’s conversation very well. He’d sounded as if he favored Ryan and Lisa being a couple. It was up to her to convince him otherwise.
Rebecca tried to anticipate how their discussion might go if he continued to oppose her. Well, it wouldn’t be a surprise. Grant Lane probably thought his son was a great catch.
And rightly so, she admitted grudgingly. Rebecca couldn’t blame Lisa for thinking that Ryan was hot. His eyes were a clear, arresting blue, framed by lashes most girls would kill for. Add his cool car to all that, and any girl would be impressed.
