A Mother For His Twins

* * *

Nick watched Joy through the front window as she headed back to her home—directly across the street from his own. What were the odds? He should have found out where she lived in Whispering Slopes before making the move. Of course, it was too late now. For better or worse they were going to be neighbors and he’d just have to do the best he could to keep his distance. With the boys and Maverick it could prove to be a challenge, but he was determined to make a fresh start for his family.

He gazed around their new home and smiled. The oversize living room would serve as the family room, where they’d watch television, play games and enjoy being together. Something he hadn’t made much time for while living and teaching in Chicago. That would change. He might not deserve the opportunity to be a better husband, but he sure would be the best father for his boys.

Nick released a slow and easy breath. He’d made the right decision by moving here, hadn’t he? But one thing he hadn’t expected when he packed up their old house in Chicago was for all the guilt he carried about his wife to make the move with him. Silly. Why would he think a new location could erase the past?

“Daddy?”

Nick turned to see Jordan standing behind him. He reached for his son’s hand and guided him toward the sofa the movers had placed in the living room earlier. “What is it, son?” he asked, lifting his boy up on his lap. His stomach knotted realizing soon the time would come where moments like this would become a distant memory.

“Do you think it would be okay if I asked Miss Kellihuh to give me piano lessons?”

Nick couldn’t help but notice the hesitation in Jordan’s question. “Why do you think there’d be anything wrong with that?”

The little boy bit down on his quivering lower lip. “Well, since Mommy used to teach me, I didn’t know if she’d like that. I wouldn’t want to disappoint huh.”

Nick’s heart ached for his son. At the age of three, Jordan had been drawn to the piano like a hummingbird to fresh nectar. Whenever his mother had played, he’d toddle to her side. She’d lift him up on the bench and he’d listen while she played. He’d giggle when she played “Three Blind Mice” and get sleepy when she’d play the soothing sound of “Brahms’s Lullaby.” Although self-taught, his wife, Michelle, had a natural talent to create beautiful melodies.

“I think it would make your mother really proud to know you want to continue learning how to play her favorite instrument.”

Jordan squirmed in his father’s lap before resting his head against Nick’s chest. “I miss huh, Daddy.” He wiped away a stray tear that escaped from his sad eyes. “Will I always feel this way?”

The million-dollar question—Nick had asked himself this daily. Some days were tougher than others, but the sadness cast a shadow over his heart that never seemed to fade. “I think we’ll always miss her, but one day, it won’t hurt as much. Maybe we’ll be able to think of your mommy and smile as we remember the good times we had with her.” Nick wondered how soon that day would arrive.

* * *

Early Monday morning, Nick and the boys snaked their way through the line inside of the school’s cafeteria. A free breakfast was available to each student, if they didn’t have time to eat at home or if money was tight for the family. This was a program Nick fully endorsed. He firmly believed that students were more focused when they started their day with a healthy breakfast. He had to admit, though, there was something special about cooking the morning meal for his boys in the comfort of their home.

“Can I have a doughnut, Daddy?”

Not exactly the meal he wanted for his sons. “Yes, but I want you to eat some eggs and fruit first.”

Tyler crinkled his nose before scooping some scrambled eggs onto his plate.

The sounds of children chattering filled the room. Nick had missed being in a school. After his wife passed away, he’d taken a leave of absence from his teaching position. It felt good to be back in this environment. This was where he belonged.

With their trays loaded, Nick and the twins headed toward an empty table next to a window. The bright sunlight beamed across the room, providing some added warmth—a perfect winter day.

Jordan took a bite of his banana and his eyes popped. “Look—there’s Miss Kellihuh!”

“Who’s that with her, Daddy?” Tyler eyed the little girl holding Joy’s hand.

“I’m not sure.” Nick turned and watched Joy glide across the room. She smiled, stopping at each table to greet the children.

“Miss Kellihuh! Come sit with us,” Jordan shouted.

Nick took note of Jordan’s uncharacteristic outburst. It was unusual for him to want to draw attention to himself. His face exploded with happiness as he bounced up and down in his chair.

Dressed in black pants and a white angora sweater, Joy approached their table. Her hair was twisted into a bun with a few loose tendrils framing her face. “Good morning, boys. This is my niece, Bella Carlson.” She turned to the twins. “Bella, this is Jordan and Tyler.”

“Twins—cool!” Bella stepped closer. “My mommy and Aunt Joy are twins.”

“That’s cool, too,” Tyler said.

“Bella, this is Mr. Capello. He’ll be your new teacher, since he’s taking over Mrs. Murray’s class while she’s out on maternity leave.”

Nick extended his hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Bella.”

“You’re tall.” Bella giggled.

Joy glanced at the twins’ plates. “Are you both eating a nice healthy breakfast?”

“I’m having eggs and a doughnut for dessert,” Tyler answered before taking another bite.

“Can you guys come and sit with us?” Jordan asked in a hushed tone. “I wanted to ask you something, Miss Kellihuh.”

Joy glanced toward Nick as if to seek his approval.

Nick stood and pulled out the empty chair. “Yes, please, join us.”

Bella took the vacant seat next to Tyler. Joy settled in the chair next to Nick and folded her hands together before placing them on the table. A sweet fragrance tickled his nose.

Joy leaned toward Jordan. “What is it you wanted to ask me, sweetie?”

Nick watched as his son’s cheeks flushed before he glanced down toward the ground and then quickly looked at his teacher. “Do you think you could give me piano lessons?”

“Well... I suppose that would be okay.” She turned to Nick. “Would it be all right with you?”

Until he received an offer for the principal position, he’d prefer for his boys to have as little interaction with Joy as possible outside of school, but he knew how happy it would make Jordan. Although both boys missed their mother, Jordan seemed to be having a more difficult time coping with her death. It was no wonder he’d become attached to Joy so quickly. And why wouldn’t he? She was compassionate and she obviously loved the children. He couldn’t help but wonder if she wanted children of her own one day.

Nick nodded. “Yes. We discussed it already. We will certainly work around your schedule, and of course, you’ll be compensated fairly.” He’d keep it strictly a business relationship and somehow find a way to make himself scarce while she gave Jordan his lessons.

“Yippee! Thank you, Miss Kellihuh.” Jordan jumped from his chair and hugged Joy around her waist.

Nick’s heart tightened. His son longed for a mother figure. But Jordan’s father had failed once at being a husband. Did he deserve a second chance?

Three hours later, Nick had completed his morning lessons. While his class was outside for recess, he headed to the teachers’ lounge for a much-needed cup of coffee.

The accent lamps on each round table provided a warm glow, rather than the bright fluorescent lighting that filled the school. It was an inviting atmosphere. Two teachers occupied a table in the corner but neither looked up as he stepped inside, so he strolled in silence to the coffee bar.

Normally, he’d stop to talk with his fellow coworkers, but the twosome appeared to be involved in a heated political discussion. That was a topic he avoided talking about with friends and fellow teachers. He filled a large mug with the piping hot brew before adding a splash of cream. Giving it three quick stirs, he scanned the room and decided to take the table near the window that looked out onto the playground.

He settled into the chair and reached for his backpack. He planned to use his break to do some preparing for his upcoming interview. Glancing out the window, he smiled when he saw his boys taking turns pushing Bella on the swing. She was a sweet little girl who he believed would have a positive influence on Jordan and Tyler.

Moments later, the sound of footsteps tapping along the tiled floor took his attention from his notes. Joy made eye contact, gave a half smile, but then quickly looked away and headed to an empty table across from where he sat.

Nick wasn’t surprised by her reaction. The circumstances surrounding his sudden departure had upset her. He got that, but they still had to work together. Plus, she’d be giving Jordan piano lessons. He owed her an explanation so they could try to move forward and put the past behind them.

He exhaled a deep breath and pushed away from the table. As he approached Joy, she never looked his way. Maybe she thought he was going back for more coffee.

“Joy?”

She flinched, appearing startled by his presence. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were standing there.” She closed the notebook resting on the table.

“You saw me when you came in. Why didn’t you come over?”

“I apologize. I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

“I’m sure you do, and no doubt a lot of it has to do with my return to town.” The last thing in the world he wanted to do was to cause her more pain. “With us teaching across the hall from each other and living in the same neighborhood, it’s obvious we’re going to be seeing a lot of each other.”

Joy looked up and caught his gaze. “Don’t forget I’ll be teaching your son how to play the piano, too.”

Nick pulled out a chair. “Do you mind if I sit for a minute?”

She shrugged her shoulders.

Since her shrug was more than she’d given him earlier, he took a seat. “I wanted to thank you for agreeing to teach Jordan. He’s really excited.”

A smile parted her lips. “He’s a sweet boy, Nick. He’ll do well with lessons. He’s the perfect student—eager to learn.”

“The piano is special to him for many reasons, so thanks.” He started to get up from the table, but then slid back into the chair. “For what it’s worth, I wanted to call you after my family left. You might not believe me, but it’s the truth. My father didn’t want me to have any contact with friends from Whispering Slopes. It’s a long story and one I hope to share with you, but he did it to protect my mother. I wrote to you. But when you didn’t answer, I assumed you were too upset with me and had moved on. Years later, I learned from my father that he’d intercepted all of my letters from the mailbox, so they were never delivered to you.”

Joy slid her notebook into her bag. “I can’t talk about this here, Nick. Please, let’s forget everything that happened in the past. It will make things much easier.”

The pain in her eyes was more than he could bear. “Will it? Do you really think pretending we don’t have a history will make things right again?” He ran his hand down the side of his cleanly shaven face.

“No, but if we’re going to maintain our professionalism, I don’t think we have a choice.” She stood from her chair and reached for her bag. “Oh, I almost forgot. Rehearsal will begin tomorrow afternoon. We’ll practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays.”

His left brow arched. “What are we rehearsing?”

“Didn’t Mr. Jacobson talk with you earlier?”

Nick shook his head. “I haven’t seen him this morning.”

“He wants the first-and second-grade classes to perform a play together for the school’s talent week—Little Red Riding Hood.” She turned on her heel and glided out the door as a soft floral fragrance trailed behind her.

Nick took note of the time and headed to his table to grab his things. A play—with her class? Unbelievable. It was as though God was doing everything in His power to throw them together. Had He orchestrated this second chance for Nick and Joy?

Chapter Three

Tuesday afternoon, Joy sat in the third row of the school’s auditorium. The students had been released from school and those participating in the play were outside enjoying a brief recess with the teaching assistants before rehearsal. Earlier in the day, she’d received an email from Nick requesting they meet privately before the first rehearsal. Her stomach fluttered as she wondered what he wanted to talk about. Of course, in her heart she knew. The past. Something she’d like to bury deep inside the earth’s core. Until his return to Whispering Slopes, she’d done a pretty good job at covering up her secret, but that hadn’t kept it from festering like a cut that wouldn’t heal.

Decisions have consequences. Growing up, that was what her grandmother always told her. Her decision the night she waited for Nick by the pond had forever changed her as a person. How could she ever share this with Nick?

The squeak of the door from the back of the room announced his arrival. She swallowed hard and turned. He strolled down the aisle of the auditorium dressed in khaki relaxed-fit pants and a red pullover sweater. That was always his color. It looked great with his close-cut dark hair. She pushed out of the wooden chair and braced herself.

“Thanks for meeting me.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “Since we’re going to be working so closely together on the play, I thought it would be a good idea to clear the air.”

“That’s an interesting metaphor. From what I recall of the night, you didn’t show up. There’s no misunderstanding in that.”

“You’re right.” He motioned toward the chairs. “Can we sit down and talk?”

She sounded defensive—she knew that—but what choice did she have? If she let down her guard, he’d find out everything. She couldn’t allow that to happen. “I’m listening.”

Nick leaned back in the chair and crossed his right leg over his left knee. “Do you remember when my mother fell down the stairs and injured her back?” he asked with his hands clasped together.

Joy’s thoughts drifted to that late autumn afternoon. The two of them had been studying at the dining room table when they heard a thumping sound and then cries for help. They’d raced into the foyer and had discovered his mother at the bottom of the stairs, the contents of the laundry basket strewn all over the pinewood floor. She couldn’t move.

“Yes, I remember. She went to the hospital for several weeks. Didn’t she have two or three surgeries?”

“Yes, three.” He nodded. “Unfortunately, the surgeries didn’t give her any relief from the excruciating pain she lived with on a daily basis.”

Last year, while lifting some heavy boxes in her classroom, Joy had strained her back. The pain she’d experienced lasted for several days. She couldn’t imagine the ongoing pain Mrs. Capello must have dealt with. “That’s terrible... I had no idea.”

“No one really did. She stayed isolated in her room for months. Although she was the one in tremendous pain, it also took a heavy toll on my father and their marriage.”

“I’m sure it was hard on everyone...including yourself.”

Nick nodded. “Her doctor kept prescribing higher doses of pain medications. The more she took, the more she needed. One night, I was in bed and I heard her crying through the wall. My father had been out of town on business, so I got up to check on her. I’ll never forget the look of despair blanketing her face.” He paused and raked his hand across the back of his neck. “When I asked her if she needed anything she told me she wanted it all to end.”

Her stomach twisted. Mrs. Capello was such a sweet and loving woman. She’d opened her home to Joy and treated her like a daughter. Joy had grown up without a mother of her own, and the woman’s kindness had always meant so much to her.

“I’m so sorry, Nick. I wish you’d told me how bad things were.”

“I almost did—a couple of times. But in a way, spending time with you was an escape from the trouble at home. I wanted to keep it that way and not bring my problems into our relationship.”

“Yes, but healthy relationships involve sharing problems with each other.” Of course, she could never reveal the events that occurred after he’d left.

He leaned forward and turned toward her. “Believe me, that’s a lesson I’ve learned much too late in life.”

Joy’s eyebrows arched. It sounded as though there was more about his past she didn’t know—just like he didn’t know about her own. Perhaps that was all for the best.

“Anyway, that’s the reason why he moved us—to protect my mother. The abuse of painkillers got more out of control and she’d threatened to hurt herself several times. My father reached out to a friend of his from college who worked as an addiction specialist practicing in Chicago. He offered to accept my mother into a new study program. It started the following week. We left on a Friday night and she was admitted on Monday. She stayed at the facility for six months.”

How could she be upset? His father had loved his mother and had no other options. Still, Nick never came back for her—the wound was still raw.

He reached for her hand. “Once I found out the letters had never been sent, it was too late. My circumstances had changed.”

All she could do was nod and pull her hand away. Let him talk, but keep your distance. She couldn’t allow herself to get close to him again. He was back to steal her dream. Besides, everything had changed and she’d never want him to know that she wasn’t like most women.

“My father’s reputation in the community was important to him. He cared what people thought about him and his family. He didn’t want others to look down on his wife or him.”

“You could have trusted me. I wouldn’t have said anything to anyone.” Even as she spoke the words, an understanding of Mr. Capello’s reasons settled in. She had secrets of her own she wanted to keep buried.

“I know, but my father didn’t. His mind wasn’t in the right place back then, and he wanted to protect her privacy.”

“After the six months, did your mother recover?” He could have come back to her then.

He ran his hand down the side of his face. “You’re wondering why I didn’t return after she finished rehab, aren’t you?”

Her left brow arched.

“In the beginning, since I didn’t know my letters were never mailed, I assumed you never wanted to talk to me again. I was afraid to come back and discover that you’d moved on—maybe married and started a family with someone else...someone other than me.” He pulled his eyes off her and stared at the ground. “After I promised to spend my life with you, I abandoned you. You had every right to move on, but I guess I just didn’t want to know if you had. Then I met the boys’ mother, and, well...too much time passed.”

If only he knew. Any chance of a relationship with anyone had ended that night. She’d been betrayed on so many different levels. How could she ever trust another man? But really, what did it matter? No man would ever want her now.

She swallowed to loosen the lump lodged in her throat. “I appreciate you telling me why you left. If you don’t want to talk about it anymore, I understand.”

Sadness pooled in his eyes. “No, you asked about her recovery. After the treatment, she was good for a year or so. When her back problems returned, she went to a new doctor. Just like the others, he overprescribed pills. Once again, she was in and out of rehab. I was relieved to be away at college, although I felt bad I wasn’t there to support my father and my sister, Janie. It was just too hard. I had to get out of that house and build a life for myself with Michelle. That’s her name—was her name. I tried to come home from school as much as I could, but it was too painful to see what had happened to my family. Janie tried to help our dad, but she really struggled after our mother passed. Then my father slipped into a deep depression.” He paused and exhaled a heavy breath. “I suggested counseling, but he didn’t see the point. When my mother’s kidneys started to fail due to the years of drug abuse, I actually prayed for God to take her. She’d given up on life years before. The only hope my father had of salvaging his life was if he no longer felt responsible for her.”

Joy had no words. She wished she’d known. Perhaps there would have been something she could have done to help the Capello family. If she had, would both of their lives have turned out differently?

He ran his hand through his hair. “It’s hard to believe. Sometimes it feels like a lifetime ago, but other times, if feels like yesterday.”

“The pain still feels new,” Joy added.

He caught her gaze and held it. “Exactly. I suppose that’s how it feels for you.”

She remained silent.

“After my mother died, things got worse for my father. He started to drink heavily. Then he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and passed away within a few months.”

“I’m sorry, Nick...really, I am. He was a good man.”

The two sat in silence for the next five minutes. “I need a little air before the children come inside from recess,” she said.

He nodded. “I think I’ll go and grab a quick cup of coffee.”

Once outside, her thoughts drifted to Nick’s father. The poor man had lived a life full of constant heartache and pain. She couldn’t help but wonder if she was headed down that same road.

* * *

After sipping his beverage in the teachers’ lounge and receiving a phone call from a friend in Chicago, Nick inhaled a deep breath before entering the school’s auditorium. Part of him was relieved he’d spoken to Joy and told her why his family had left town, but something told him she had secrets she was holding on to as well. Her eyes had a sadness that didn’t exist when they were younger.

“Daddy! We’ve been waiting for you.” Tyler raced to the door and flung his arms around Nick’s waist.

He spotted Joy up on the stage, laughing with a group of children. She looked radiant.

“I’m sorry—I got held up on a call.” He took his son’s hand and strolled down the aisle.

“I sure hope I get picked to play the Big Bad Wolf,” Tyler declared.

Nick stepped up on the stage. “I’m late—sorry,” he said to Joy, who appeared busy scribbling notes on a clipboard. With her hair now pulled back in a ponytail, she reminded him of the young girl he’d fallen in love with. He shook off the thought. Their relationship was anything but the same. It could never be more. Besides, now they were just rivals.

“No worries. I was letting the kids know there are many other parts besides the leads. We need to cast the animals, trees, mushrooms, and we’ll also need help with costumes and lighting.”

Tyler stepped forward. “What about the wolf, Miss Kelliher? You forgot about that.”

Nick couldn’t help but notice Joy’s smile fading.

“What’s wrong, Joy?”

“Nothing. I’m fine.”

She didn’t look fine. Her voice shook and she appeared pale.

“So, raise your hand if you’d like to play the wolf,” Nick called, scanning the group for volunteers.

“First, we have to cast the lead,” Joy said.

He didn’t want to argue with her. “Okay, so who wants to play Little Red Riding Hood?”

When no hands went up, Nick looked at Bella. “I think you’d be perfect in the role.”

Her cheeks flushed. “Are you sure?” Bella asked in a less-than-confident tone.

“I’m positive. What about you, Miss Kelliher? Don’t you agree?”

Joy smiled. “I think she’d be perfect.”

Bella kicked her tennis shoe against the wooden stage. “What if I can’t learn all my lines?”

“I can help you.” Tyler stepped forward.

Nick smiled at his son. He always liked to help others. “I think that’s a good idea, Tyler.” He glanced at Bella. “You’ll do great, so don’t worry.”