Jack's Christmas Mission

“About who?”

“Your ex-husband. All I’ve got in my files is his name, the dates of your marriage and divorce. Stuff like that.”

“What do you want to know?” Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel. “Do you want to know how many times he beat me, how many times he told me what a stupid, ugly, fat, worthless piece of trash I was? Or would you like to hear the gory details of how he nearly killed me? How he did kill our unborn child?” Her voice cracked at this last admission.

Jack’s guts knotted painfully. The very thought that a man would raise a hand to a woman, let alone beat her, enraged Jack. God help him, if he could get his hands on Buck Forbes right this minute, he might kill him. He knew he’d sure like to give the sorry bastard a taste of what he’d given Peggy Jo. The man had actually hit his pregnant wife!

“You lost a child because of—”

“I was four months pregnant. I came home fifteen minutes late from my job as a receptionist, and he accused me of cheating on him with my boss. The accusation was ridiculous, of course, but that didn’t matter. He beat me until I was unconscious. I woke up several hours later in the hospital. I’d suffered a miscarriage.”

“God, honey, I’m sorry.” Jack’s hand reached for her in the semidarkness inside her car, but the moment he touched her, she cringed. He removed his hand instantly. He’d read in his file on her about the miscarriage, but hadn’t known it was a result of her husband’s brutality.

“I had put up with his cruelty for over three years. But after that night, I went to a shelter for abused women and I filed for a divorce.”

“All men aren’t like Buck Forbes.” Jack felt the need to defend his sex, to convince her that most men weren’t savage animals.

“I’m well aware of the fact that there are a lot of good, kind, loyal and loving men in the world. I just didn’t happen to have one of them for a father or a husband.”

Before Jack could respond, she pulled the Chrysler Sebring into the driveway of a large Craftsman-style house. The old house had a real sense of hominess to it, as if it had been built to accommodate a large family. He had noticed that the neighborhood, which was in the Riverview area, was comprised of both large and small houses, some neatly remodeled and others still in need of repair. His information on her residence stated that she lived in an older section of the city that was part of a mass renovation project.

Peggy Jo turned to face Jack. “Before we go inside, we need to go over a few ground rules.”

“Shoot.” Jack studied her face by the soft light of the nearby streetlight. An odd little spasm tightened inside him and he wondered at the cause.

“You’re a guest in my home, a temporary visitor.” She paused as if uncertain how to explain. “You’ll be treated with hospitality, of course, but…don’t try to ingratiate yourself to my housekeeper, Hetty, or to my daughter.”

Jack stared at her, puzzled by her statement. “I’m afraid you’ve lost me. In what way do you want me not to ingratiate myself to your housekeeper or your daughter? Are you saying don’t be charming, don’t make friends?”

“Exactly—don’t make friends. You’re a transitory fixture in our lives, and I don’t want Hetty trying to make something personal out of a relationship that is strictly business. And I certainly don’t want Wendy becoming attached to you in any way.”

Realization dawned. “Ah. I understand. You don’t want me playing daddy to your daughter. And you don’t want the housekeeper trying to play matchmaker for us.” Jack chuckled. Lordy. Lordy. He’d known some uptight women in his life, but Miss Peggy Jo sure did take the cake. Not only was she cautious and afraid for herself, but for her child, too. Poor little girl. And to be honest, he wasn’t sure whether he was referring to Wendy Riley or her mother.

“Just do the job you’ve been hired to do and keep your Southern charm to yourself.” With that said, Peggy Jo opened her car door, got out and rounded the hood.

Jack followed quickly, up the steps and onto the large wraparound porch. Before they reached the front door, it opened to reveal a stout, gray-haired woman standing just inside the foyer.

“Come on in, you two,” the housekeeper said, smiling broadly. “It’s getting cold out there.” She ushered them inside hurriedly, then held out her hand. “Let me take your jacket and hat, Mr. Parker.”

So, this was Hetty, Jack thought. A motherly type. Round and cheerful and fussing over them like a mother hen.

He handed her his denim jacket and black Stetson. “Thank you, ma’am.”

Her smile widened until it reached from ear to ear, deepening the faint lines around her brown eyes and in her rosy cheeks. “You can call me Hetty. I’m the housekeeper and nanny around here, but Peggy Jo will tell you that we’re all family in this house.”

“Nice to meet you, Hetty.” Jack offered her his hand. “You can call me Jack.”

Hetty hung his coat and hat on the ornate oak hall tree, then took his hand and gave it a firm shake. “I’m sure glad to meet you, young fella. We’re glad to have you with us. I’ve been telling Peggy Jo for months now that her crazy admirer wasn’t going away and what we needed—what she needed—was a man around here.”

“Well, Hetty, I’m your man.” Jack winked at her.

Hetty giggled. “My, my, I like you already.”

“If you two are finished with your mutual admiration society meeting…” Peggy Jo said with a look of exasperation.

“Oh, just ignore her,” Hetty said. “Come on in and meet the real boss around here.”

Peggy Jo sighed, then asked, “Where is Wendy?”

“She’s eating supper in the kitchen,” Hetty replied.

“Why is she eating now? She knew I’d be home in time for us to eat together.”

Hetty smiled, then glanced over at Jack. “Wendy had me set up things in the dining room for you and our guest, so the two of you could have supper together.”

“What!” Peggy Jo’s eyes narrowed to slits as she frowned.

“Don’t go fussing at her,” Hetty said. “She can’t help being excited. It’s the first time her mama has brought a man home with her.”

“This is ridiculous. I told her plainly that Mr. Parker is an employee, hired by me to…to watch over me.” Peggy Jo marched through the living room and into the dining room.

As Jack and Hetty followed, Hetty said, “You should know, for future reference, that her bark is much worse than her bite.”

“Yeah, I figured as much,” Jack replied. “But she sure does have a mighty fierce bark, doesn’t she?”

“Candles!” Peggy Jo shrieked. “Soft lighting, our best china, crystal and silver. Hetty Ballard, what sort of nonsense have you been putting in Wendy’s head about Mr. Parker and me?”

Nonplussed by the accusation against her, Hetty plopped a wide, meaty hand on her hip. “You’re accusing me unjustly. I’ve kept my mouth shut the whole livelong day. Wendy came up with this idea all on her own. And don’t you dare scold her, and I mean it. She thinks we’ve done something really special for you, and she can keep on thinking that if you don’t spoil this for her.”

“But I can’t let her think that there’s anything romantic going on between Mr. Parker and me,” Peggy Jo said. “I thought she understood last night when I explained the situation to her.”

“She’s a six-year-old who doesn’t have a daddy, and no matter what you tell her about Mr. Parker—” Hetty grinned “—about Jack, she’s going to hope…”

“I’ll have to speak with her again.” Peggy Jo headed for the kitchen. “We can’t have her dreaming up some romance—”

Hetty grabbed Peggy Jo’s arm, halting her. “Don’t spoil this for her. Not tonight. Save your talk for tomorrow. One day can’t hurt.”

Jack could tell that Peggy Jo was mulling the matter over in her mind, going through a battle trying to decide. Maybe he should step in and handle this situation.

“How about letting me talk to Wendy?” Jack suggested. “After you and I enjoy dinner by candlelight.”

Peggy Jo sighed; her shoulders drooped in defeat. “All right. I’ll wait until after dinner. But, Mr. Parker, I will explain your presence in our lives, in our home, to Wendy. Not you.”

If Hetty hadn’t become like a member of the family these past six years, Peggy Jo would fire her. Ever since Wendy started asking why she didn’t have a daddy, Hetty had spurred the child on in her requests for a father. And Hetty knew good and well that she never intended to remarry.

“Come on out to the kitchen and meet my daughter,” Peggy Jo said to Jack Parker, then glanced at Hetty. “Go ahead and serve dinner for us here in the dining room. But only tonight. If in the future Wendy comes up with any more nonsense like this, you’re not to encourage her.”

Peggy Jo couldn’t be truly angry with her daughter. She understood how much a father meant to a little girl—and to a big girl, too. Sometimes she felt guilty that she wasn’t able to give Wendy something as important as a father. To this day she missed her own father almost as much as she missed her mother. One of the most difficult things she had coped with in the therapy sessions she’d had during her time at the shelter and for years afterward, had been accepting the fact that although her father had still been alive during her difficult marriage, he hadn’t been able to be a real part of her life.