“I will not let you see the body, but if you need to have a small prayer service, we can arrange for it at the house once you get out of here. Now rest.”
The nurse must have added something to her medication, because she couldn’t keep her eyes open. Dread settled over her as she drifted off. If her baby was gone, then what was left for her?
It had been the last straw. Losing Theo had been one thing, but then losing her daughter, their daughter, had caused a nervous breakdown that had taken a long time to recover from. If she had ever truly recovered. They’d never gotten around to the prayer service. By the time she’d been well enough to even think about it, her father had insisted it was too late to keep dwelling on and wouldn’t do anyone any good. Her father had always gotten what he wanted. What he didn’t know was that she’d built a special little monument in the garden for her baby and prayed near it all the time.
Moving slowly toward her car, she took one last look down at the lake. Jordan Pond. It had been the only place she’d ever felt totally at peace. After they’d gotten married, she’d even told Theo she wanted to name their first daughter Jordan. He’d insisted on Jordan Marie after her middle name, too. Now that dream was as dead as her child.
“Can we have pizza for supper, Daddy?”
Theo glanced down at his daughter and nodded. Good suggestion. He didn’t have the energy to cook tonight. Cleaning up the pond was grueling enough. Having to be on his guard around Chelsea all day had drained every ounce of strength he had.
“Sure, peanut. What do you want on it?”
His daughter danced around, the blue bow in her hair dangling from a few loose strands. She looked up at him and grinned. Same smile her mother used to give him when they’d first met. Today, it twisted the knife deeper.
“Bacon. And lots of cheese.”
“I should have guessed. Okay, go put your backpack away and your lunch box in the kitchen while I call Pepper’s.”
After making the call, Theo climbed the stairs to his room and changed out of his uniform into a t-shirt and his most comfortable pair of jeans. His daughter bounced from her room across the hall.
“I get a piggyback wide down the stairs?” she asked, popping up and down like a Whack-A-Mole.
Crossing his arms, he grumbled, “How come you always get the ride? Why can’t you give me a ride?”
Her hazel eyes looked around like she was giving it some thought. “You’re too big, Daddy. Maybe when I grow up I can give you a wide.”
“Hmm. Makes sense. So I guess that means for now you get the ride.” He crouched down. “Hop on.”
Her tiny arms wrapped around his neck, and he tossed her higher as he slid his hands behind him to hold her. The feel of her warmth almost undid him. Every day, he thanked God for this gift. How could someone not appreciate that?
As he trotted down the stairs, his mind roamed to Chelsea. God, what the heck had made her come back here? Yes, she’d always loved Mount Desert Island, but that obviously hadn’t mattered in the last five years.
Passing through the living room, his daughter steered him over to the fireplace mantle and picked up her favorite picture.
“Hi, Mama. Hi Daddy,” she said to the picture he still kept of Chelsea and him on their wedding day. Call him a masochist, but he never could find the balls to get rid of it. He’d worn his dress ranger uniform, and she’d gotten a fancy sundress in a light peach lace from one of the boutiques in town. It had been a perfect sunny day, and they’d been so blissful.
Then, everything had crashed down around them. He’d never even seen it coming. Like her showing up today. It had taken him completely by surprise. His first thought was she had come to take their daughter away. But she seriously hadn’t even asked about her. It was like the child didn’t exist. Cold-hearted wasn’t the way he remembered her. Obviously, he’d been wrong about that, too.
The child on his back pressed a kiss to the picture, like always, then kissed his cheek. “Let’s get some pizza, Daddy. Can we eat it there? Please.”
He was so wrapped around her little finger. Depositing her on the ground, he took her hand to lead her to the SUV and said, “Anything you want, Miss Jordan Marie Lapierre.”
Chapter two
Chelsea’sphonejingledinthe pocket of her hoodie, and she slowed the rake. Before she answered, she glanced around the area to make sure Theo wasn’t nearby. Heaven forbid he see her slacking.
“Hello.” Perfect. It was the power company finally letting her know they could get her electric back on today.
“Everything okay?” Tammi asked once she’d hung up. The two ladies were back and working her side of the pond again today. The way they hovered, she wondered if they’d asked to be near her. They mentioned they didn’t have any children of their own, but it seemed their maternal instinct was kicking in. It was kind of nice. She hadn’t had anything like it since her grandmother had died.
“Yes, thank you. The electric company. I’m finally getting power today. Hopefully, I can get some groceries, and you won’t have to keep bringing me food.” They’d packed extra lunches the past few days and shared with her. All she’d had were crackers and a piece of fruit.
Tammi planted her hands on her hips and tossed her short, dark curls. “What? You don’t like our food?” Her grin showed she was kidding.
“I love your food and am so appreciative that you brought it for me, but now I can buy some of my own and keep it in a fridge that works.”
After checking for any messages, she slipped her phone back in her pocket. It was a new one she’d gotten before driving up here. Her old one had been acting weird ever since her father had passed away. No matter who she called, it only ever dialed her father’s number. Of course, she’d barely used it in years. Luckily, this one worked fine.
