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“Maanu Maanu,” the little girl said, and held her arms up.
Rachel bent over the small gate and lifted her daughter into her embrace. Kissing her on the forehead, she touched the child’s cheek to draw her attention to her mouth. “Mama. Mama has something for you.”
Turning, Rachel reached into the sack and pulled out the blanket, ratty blue but very much loved by her daughter.
“Bae ee.”
Rachel nodded, kissed her on the cheek and set her down. She added sign language to her words. “Go play, honey.”
Lindsay shook her head and tapped her fingers together.
“Mama will be back later. After nap time,” she said with a smile, doing what now came naturally and adding the signs for back later and after sleep.
Lindsay looked at her blocks in indecision until she saw Jeremy headed that way. Without a word, she turned and ran over to guard her territory, putting her arms around the blocks and babbling something at Jeremy.
Rachel chewed her lip, watching to see if Jeremy teased her. He didn’t. He handed her some more blocks and then plopped down near her with a car and started playing.
“Jeremy made it back.” Julianne said this to the man next to Rachel.
“Thanks. This is Miss White’s.” After handing the bags over the gate, Morgan stepped to one side.
Rachel relaxed slightly. She wasn’t used to having a man distracting her and didn’t like the feeling at all. “How’s she doing?”
Julianne smiled. “She’s doing fine. She’s adjusting. I think the hearing problem is continuing to keep her isolated from others. But a few of the more curious children have started trying to talk to her.”
“Children can be mean.”
Julianne nodded and said softly, “Or they can be the breakthrough. Earlier today, she sat near Chrissy and they shared an apple.”
Rachel nodded.
“Your daughter’s deaf?” Morgan asked, drawing Rachel’s attention to him.
“Partially. A degenerative thing.” Rachel didn’t like to talk to strangers about her daughter. And this was a stranger. “Excuse me. I have to get back to work.”
She smiled politely at the man and then said to Julianne, “If you need me, just call City Hall. I’ll be there another hour or two before I’m back to pick Lindsay up. Nice meeting you,” she said to the man and then waved to Julianne and started down the hall.
Morgan watched her leave, unmoving.
“She’s really good with her daughter, just a little overprotective, Dr. Talbot.”
Hearing Julianne’s voice, he realized he was still staring after the exceptional woman. He tried to force his attention from Rachel White but couldn’t bring himself to let her out of his sight. When she turned the corner, he finally turned his attention to Julianne. “Most parents are. Parents with handicapped children have emotions that most can’t understand.”
A touch of melancholy swept over him. Shaking his head, he forced the feeling aside. “If you need me again, just call. I have to get back to work.”
A smile touched the woman’s lips, and she nodded. The sound of a squabble caught their attention, and Julianne was off to handle the problem.
Morgan walked down the hall, intending to leave. Instead, he stopped at the end of the hall by the window that overlooked the square. Pushing the curtain back, he located exactly what had captured his attention and watched her continue across the green toward City Hall.
“Caught you!”
Ben Hunter came walking up.
Morgan turned, allowing the shade to drop. “Caught me what?”
Ben pulled the curtain back and glanced out. “Daydreaming? Thinking about Jeremy or perhaps one of the other children that’ll be lined up in your office in the next thirty minutes or so?”
Morgan shook his head and smiled. “No, not that. Not at all.”
“Oh?” Ben asked and turned toward his office, motioning Morgan to accompany him.
Morgan followed Pastor Ben, who continued, “So, what was it you were doing?”
Ben paused outside his office and turned the door handle, his gaze touching on Morgan’s in query.
Morgan decided, Why not tell Pastor Ben the truth? Taking a deep breath, he said, his voice low, “I was studying the woman I am going to marry.”
Chapter Two
“I didn’t realize you were even dating anyone,” Reverend Ben said.
“Dating? Who’s dating someone?” Emma Fulton, Ben’s secretary, asked.
Ben nodded to Emma as he passed through the secretary’s office and walked into his own office. Morgan watched, amused. Emma Fulton was sixty-five years old, but he certainly couldn’t tell it by her actions. Patting her strawberry-blond hair, which was more white than red, she tucked an imaginary loose strand into the braid that was twirled in a bun on top of her head. She got up and followed the pastor toward his office, her matchmaking antennae zeroing in. “You know, Julianne’s fiancé left her. That was such a shame. Now there’s a woman who needs someone.”
Morgan saw the look on Emma’s face, the gleam in her eye and thought, Yep, the pastor was certainly in trouble.
“In God’s time, Emma,” Ben said gently. “So, what messages do you have for me?”
“Oh. Yes. Yes.” Looking at the slips in her hand, she said, “Well, Miss Patterson called and I think she wanted, or was it the other one that wanted…” The woman trailed off, confused, quickly looking through the notes she held in her aged hands.
“Take your time, Emma,” Ben soothed and seated himself, motioning for Morgan to take a chair also.
“No, no. It was Rachel’s mother who called in reference to the roofing project you wanted to know about. And Miss Patterson, she wanted to talk to you about sponsoring.” The woman frowned as she tried to remember. “Oh, yes. She wanted to talk with you about sponsoring a booth at the celebration they’ll be having, the spring festival. You know, I was crowned Strawberry Queen at that festival years ago.” She gleamed with pride as she nodded to Morgan.
“I’d heard that, ma’am,” Morgan replied, smiling. Actually, he’d heard it several times from Emma. It was something she was very proud of, and every time the spring festival came up, she mentioned it. “Quite an event,” he added.
She giggled.
Taking the messages from Emma, Ben paused to pat her hand. “Thank you, dear. Can you close the door on the way out?”
“I surely will, Reverend Ben.” She turned and bustled out the door, her mission thwarted temporarily but, knowing Emma, not deserted.
When the door finally clicked closed, Morgan chuckled. “Looks like you may be fighting off a matchmaking scheme there, Ben.”
Ben groaned and shook his head. “Emma’s a good woman. She certainly cares about everyone. But I draw the line at allowing her to pick my wife.” Smiling, he shook his head again.
Morgan chuckled again.
Ben’s blue eyes gleamed with amusement as he said, “You don’t have much room to laugh, Morgan. She’s tried to match you up with every single woman within a three-county area.”
“Yeah, but she’s turned that attention on you now. Looks like she’s given me up as a lost cause—at least temporarily.” Morgan’s smile faded. “So, how are the problems going?”
Ben shook his head and laid the messages aside. “Still getting a lot of opposition from many in the church. I’m too young to handle this job, according to some. Others think the former Reverend shouldn’t have retired and let someone with my lack of experience slip into the job. In time, though, I’m sure, with God’s help, things will change.”
“Good.” Morgan shifted in his chair and crossed his legs. In khaki pants and a deep blue polo shirt, he felt as if he were missing something. Normally, he wore a lab coat and stethoscope, too. He’d been at lunch when he’d gotten paged to come over because the day care was certain Jeremy had pinkeye. “By the way, that’s not pinkeye,” he said to Ben. “It seems Chrissy didn’t like what Jeremy said and punched him in the eye while the teacher’s back was turned. But Jeremy heard the teacher say pinkeye and was certain his eye was going to turn pink and fall out.”
“Oh, really?” Ben grinned, the lines around his eyes crinkling in amusement. “Well, I’m sure he’ll think a miracle occurred when his eye clears.”
“And his mom will be glad to know the sniffles aren’t going to turn into anything more. So, what’d you want to talk to me about?”
Ben grinned. “I’d wanted to talk business, but first, I want to find out who you’ve been dating while my back was turned.”
Morgan glanced at Ben’s desk, cluttered with books and notes, the books obviously from the many bookcases around the office. The church was an old building, with original wood paneling and floors. Beautiful, in a way. Morgan really liked it, and liked his pastor, too. He’d become a friend over the last few months through the church-run day care. He wondered how he was going to explain to Ben what he’d meant earlier. Oh, well, he thought. I made the statement, might as well explain it. “Her name is Rachel and she has a daughter…”
“Lindsay,” Ben finished. “Yes. I’ve seen her picking Lindsay up, and of course, know her mother, Betty. I didn’t know you knew her, though. Or is it that Betty introduced you two?”
Morgan grinned. “No, Betty has no idea I’ve met her daughter yet. And I don’t know Rachel yet, either.”
“I see,” Ben replied, though it was perfectly obvious he didn’t see at all.
“I met her a few minutes ago,” Morgan added, not offering more than a simple blink of his eyes in reaction to the total confusion written on Ben’s face.
“Ah.” Ben chuckled, his face clearing suddenly. Morgan knew Ben thought he was kidding. Let him think that—until he finally asked Ben to perform the ceremony. He couldn’t explain it himself, but when he’d seen Rachel his entire world had tilted on its axis. A strong voice inside had spoken to him, saying, She’s the one. Morgan had no problem agreeing. She was beautiful, but there was something more about her, something he couldn’t explain. He simply knew she was the woman who belonged at his side, and he was going to marry her.
He was rather stunned himself, in some ways. He wasn’t one to make rash decisions. Actually, he was usually very controlled and careful. Nevertheless, he knew, he knew she was the one.
And Lindsay.
The child only confirmed what he knew. She was for him. Lindsay was for him. A second chance…
“Well, since you brought Rachel up…” Ben broke into the silence, his laughter gone as he drew Morgan to the subject at hand. “Betty called while you were checking on Jeremy. She was looking for you.”
“Really?” Betty Anderson, the director of the day-care center, was also Rachel’s mom. “What does she want to see me about?”
“I don’t know. I told her I’d snag you before you left. Let me tell her you’re here.” He picked up the phone and rang the day-care office. When he hung up, he smiled at Morgan. “She’s on her way now.”
“No measles going around, at least, not that I know of. Maybe she wants me to set up the annual lice check, or…” Morgan trailed off, curious.
“I’m sure it’s something like that. You know Betty. She’s an exceptional woman, good head on her shoulders. She certainly keeps that day care in line.”
Morgan nodded. “That she does. And knowing her, she’ll waste no time getting here and coming to the point.” Morgan liked that about Betty.
As if on cue, they heard Emma in the other room, offering a strawberry-filled cookie to someone and talking about seeing her daughter. “Sounds like Betty is here,” Morgan said.
Ben stood and moved around his desk. “I’ll give you some privacy.” He laid a gentle hand on Morgan’s shoulder as he passed. Morgan heard the door click and the warm tones of Ben’s voice float to him from the secretary’s office. “Hello, Betty. Morgan is in my office. Go on in. In the meantime, I think I’m going to steal one of Emma’s cookies.”
“Thank you, Reverend.” Betty’s contralto voice could be heard. A breeze swept in as the door swung wider, and then Betty walked in the office.
Betty pushed the door closed and stood there, her reddish brown hair hanging straight to her chin. In her fifties, she still had a nice figure. Her no-nonsense clothes showed she’d evidently been doing something physical downstairs at the center. Her flannel shirtsleeves were rolled to her elbows, and her purple jogging pants had dust and debris on them.
The look in her eye indicated that something was definitely on her mind. As a doctor, Morgan had learned to recognize the signs and do much what a pastor did, which was simply to listen. “Hello, Betty, how can I help you?”
He stood and put his hands to the back of a chair, offering Betty a seat.
“Thanks, Morgan.” Betty strode across the room and seated herself. “Sit down. I need to talk to you.” Betty sat on the edge of her seat and leaned forward, facing Morgan as he re-seated himself. Concern furrowed her brow, and her hands clasped around her knees. Morgan had never seen this side of Betty before.
“Now, you know I’m not one to usually interfere in my children’s lives. Neither Ray nor I were, bless his soul. When I lost him five years ago… Well, let’s just say I’m not sure where I would be now without my kids’ support. But my daughter Rachel…”
Morgan was more than a little interested when Betty hesitated. “I met her today,” he offered, hoping to put her at ease.
“Oh?” She studied him. Her gaze was so direct that he had the distinct feeling she was looking right into his soul.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Have you met Lindsay?”
“Yes. Well, actually, I’ve only seen her. I haven’t had time to talk with her, if that’s what you mean.”
“She’s almost completely deaf,” Betty said bluntly. “And I think my daughter is so steeped in bitterness over her husband leaving her and then dying on her that she can’t see past that. He left her because of Lindsay, saying he couldn’t handle a damaged child, you know.”
“Ah,” Morgan said, not having known that at all. So that was why Rachel had acted so prickly. She didn’t trust men. Morgan couldn’t blame her if what Betty had just told him was true. Most of the mothers he knew were very protective of their children and very vulnerable, too. “I’m sure Rachel will work through it and fall in love again.”
Betty blinked. “Oh, Rachel? Oh, no, Morgan, I wanted to talk to you about my granddaughter. I was just filling you in on Rachel so you’d know where I was coming from. You see, she’s very protective of Lindsay. I think Rachel’s husband killed something in her when he rejected their daughter. Rachel went to a doctor, but the brainless fool suggested she put her child in an institution since her husband had left her. He was not a good man. Why she went to a doctor her husband suggested, I’ll never know. The doctor told Rachel it was a degenerative disease and that Lindsay should be put in an institution where she’d get more stable care than a working mother could give her. Told her that way she’d have someone who knew how to deal with deaf children.”
Shocked, Morgan stared at Betty. He could see the anger as Betty’s mouth tightened in disgust. He found it hard not to feel a bit disgusted himself. Of course, sometimes family didn’t know the whole story. “Do you know what type of tests they did on Lindsay? What brought the doctor to this conclusion?”
“Other than the fact that the doctor was a real close friend of Lindsay’s former husband and ran in the same circles he did?” Betty shook her head. “I’m sorry, Morgan. This subject really gets to me.”
Morgan could see that. “What would you like me to do? I could make an appointment for Lindsay and talk to Rachel—”
“Oh, no. That won’t work.” Betty sat back in her chair, resting her elbows on the arms. “Rachel has sworn off doctors for her child. She refuses to allow any of them to examine Lindsay anymore. I think, Morgan, she’s afraid that they’ll try to take her child away from her, or call her a bad mother again, or even give her hope where there is none. She worked hard to find someone to see Lindsay, to prove to her husband her child wasn’t damaged. None of it did a bit of good. He left her anyway.”
Morgan nodded, definitely feeling anger stir in him, anger and painful loss. “I haven’t seen Rachel in church,” Morgan said softly to Betty.
Hurt flashed in Betty’s eyes. “She wants nothing to do with God. She’s hurting, possibly even blaming God that she had a child that broke up her marriage. I’ve heard her say a couple of times she doesn’t think God takes a real interest in her life.”
Frowning, Morgan nodded. He’d been through that at one time. He was still going through it in some ways. But he had not turned his back on God. He struggled a lot with believing God had forgiven him for past sins. When someone was hurting, it was the same principle. They looked back at the pain and had trouble letting go. So he could understand where Rachel might still be hurting and hadn’t let go.
“Well, then, if it’s not an appointment you want, what is it you need?”
Betty smiled. “I have a plan….”
Seeing that smile, Morgan wondered if he had just stepped off a cliff and was heading toward imminent disaster on the rocky beach below.
Chapter Three
“Why wasn’t he at supper last week if this is such a regular event?”
