God's Gift - By Dee Henderson Page 0,78
were sitting on the couch in her living room watching the credits of a movie go by. She was almost asleep, resting comfortably against his shoulder, his arm around her waist, an afghan thrown across her legs. “Scary. Why do you want to know?”
“Curious, I guess. You never talk about them.”
Rae let her eyes close again, too tired to fight the pull of sleep. “I remember my mom’s friend Gloria came and got me from school. I remember wanting to go to my bedroom and find my doll, the one Mom had made for me. It’s kind of a blur.”
“What do you remember about them?”
“I remember them as being nice, loving, fun. When I got home from school, Mom would take a break from working on her book to join me in the kitchen and share a snack, normally cookies she had baked that morning. She wore perfume I really liked and used to braid my hair for me. Dad I remember as this big guy who used to pick me up and make me laugh. He liked to play checkers and read me stories.”
James squeezed her hand. “Thanks.”
She reluctantly pushed herself up, her hand going to protect her ribs.
“I’m sorry the ribs still hurt so bad,” James said, his hands helping support her movements.
“So am I. I miss getting a hug,” Rae said ruefully.
Justin was asleep on the floor in front of the couch. Rae eased over so she could get up without disturbing him. “Thanks for coming over tonight.”
She sensed rather than saw James disappointment with her remark. He didn’t say anything. She knew her decision to keep some distance between them was bothering him. She didn’t have the luxury right now of giving him the commitment he wanted.
“Lace said she was bringing you over dinner tomorrow night?”
Rae nodded.
“Then I guess I’ll see you Thursday to give you a ride to the hospital. Noon okay?”
“I can call a cab, James.”
“Physical therapy is tough enough without worrying about transportation, too. I can work at a table there just as well as I can at home.”
There was no way she was going to win the discussion. Rae nodded. “Noon will be fine. Thank you.”
He kissed her at the door, a lingering kiss that was touched with regret. “Sleep well tonight, Rae.”
“You too,” she said softly.
She turned off the porch light after his car pulled out of the driveway, walked carefully upstairs. Her muscles still quivered when the fatigue was bad, threatening her balance.
God, please help James understand. I don’t want to get hurt again. I’m too beat up to be able to handle a marriage. I don’t know what I’m going to do about work. Please, help James understand. I can’t be what he wants, not right now. I regret that, but it is the reality.
“Rae, you’re keeping your distance and you really don’t need to. James isn’t looking for a hostess, housekeeper and cook.”
Lace was over, helping Rae clean house.
Rae could do some of the picking up, load the dishwasher, but doing the laundry, mopping the floor, cleaning the bathroom, vacuuming—they were all still beyond her stamina.
They were working together on the kitchen, having finished the upstairs earlier. Rae lifted the corner of a Tupper-wear lid, suspicious of what might be lurking inside. She was cleaning out the refrigerator. “Lace, I know that. But just the logistics of planning a wedding, setting up house together, creating a workable routine are beyond me right now.”
“So have a long engagement. Rae, he’s miserable.”
Rae set yet another container of spoiled food to discard in the sink. She had to lean heavily against the counter to wait for the pain in her back to subside. The accident had left her with a whole new appreciation for how much she had taken her body for granted. “He wants me at his place so he can take care of me.” She breathed out in relief as the pain subsided, carefully reached for the next item on the refrigerator shelf.
“Is that so bad?”
Rae wrinkled her nose at something that was now green. “Yeah.”
Kevin hesitated, holding the sledgehammer. “James, are you sure you want to do this?”
James closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, thought about it, reconsidered for about the ninth time. He nodded. “I’m sure.”
Rae was going to need a walk-in closet. It was a minor detail, but it was important. He wanted her to feel at home here…if, no, when they had a future together.
He had to keep that hope alive.
He was