Gifts Of Love

“I thought you might like to know your baby slept through the night.”

“That’s good. I was worried she wouldn’t be able to settle down.”

“And how did you sleep?” Jessie asked as she fingered the telephone cord. Not until she spoke did she realize how eager she’d been to hear his voice and to know he’d improved.

“Fairly well. However, I feel like…” In the background, she heard the shuffle of sheets as David shifted his weight on the bed, his discomfort great enough to interrupt his words. “…a dump truck ran over me.”

Though Jessie didn’t say anything, she assumed David would be out of commission for longer than he might be willing to admit.

“Oh,” she said, “Isabel’s waking up.” Moving to the bed, she held the receiver next to the sleepy child’s ear. As soon as Isabel heard her father’s voice, she smiled and stretched. Jessie shared the little girl’s satisfaction and decided to treasure these special moments God had given her.

Jessie was prepared for the look of surprise when she walked into David’s hospital room later that morning with Isabel balanced on her hip.

“Hi, Pumpkin,” David called out to his smiling daughter, while his eyes asked why Isabel wasn’t at home with Elaine.

When David inched to one side and patted the bed, Jessie securely positioned Isabel between her father’s chest and arm. However, she remained close to the bed, just in case the toddler started to squirm.

“Elaine’s been delayed, hasn’t she?”

As Jessie explained that Elaine’s sister had fallen that morning and Elaine was taking care of her sibling’s twins, empathy shone from David’s brown eyes. “You made the right decision in telling her to stay,” he assured her. “I would have told her to stay in Kansas, too.”

He kept shaking his head. “I can’t believe this is happening to Elaine’s sister. She’s had a rough time lately.” Looking directly at Jessie, he added, “Sometimes, I really have to wonder what God is thinking.”

Jessie merely shrugged and offered a tight smile. This wasn’t the moment to volunteer her personal insights about God’s timing.

Shifting his gaze to Isabel, David relaxed a little. “The bright side is that I get to see my little girl. I wasn’t certain you could bring her to my room.”

Jessie’s smile widened and she touched her fingertips to her lips. “I’m not certain whether it’s allowed, either. We just walked in like we belonged here.”

“With you in charge, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Briefly, she met his gaze, surprised by how much his respect meant to her. However, she wasn’t about to spoil her image and confess that his neat brick home looked like a disaster zone. By the time Jessie had cleaned up the dining room and kitchen floors, Isabel had dumped the box of toys in the living room, plus she’d knocked over a potted fern and rubbed dirt into the carpet. And while she’d talked to Elaine on the cordless telephone, Isabel had followed her curiosity into the nursery, grabbing at anything within reach. Jessie had stayed one step behind the crawling toddler, but it still amazed her how much chaos Isabel had created before she scooped her up.

“The doctor is going to make me stay another night.”

David grasped her hand, forcing her to meet his gaze again. This time she knew what he was going to say before he even opened his mouth.

“You’ve done so much already. Don’t even think about offering to watch Isabel today.”

“I don’t have to think about it,” Jessie assured him. “In fact, I insist on staying with Isabel. We’re a team now. You can’t separate us. Besides, it’s only for one more night.”

Chapter Four

W as he letting stubborn pride dictate what was best for his daughter? David wondered the next morning as he hung up after talking to his married sisters.

No, he knew he was right.

In the past year, his parents had devoted a significant amount of their time and energy to helping him and Isabel settle in Springfield. While they had done so out of love, and while he’d admitted to his family that he couldn’t have made it without their support, he’d also made it clear that it was time for him to stand on his own two feet. Though it would be so easy to cave in, he knew in his heart it was best for everyone if he took full responsibility for his daughter.

Next, he called the main offices of Hot & Fresh and made sure the business day was off to a smooth start. As the owner of five Springfield deli and coffee shops, which specialized in thick sandwiches, the best bagels in town and the freshest coffee in the state, he lived a fast-paced life. He was used to solving problems, to anticipating market trends and to outsmarting his competition. He rarely came home until he was too tired to think about anything except his little girl.

But here in the hospital, he hadn’t been as successful in fighting off unwanted memories. Though it’d been a little over a year since his wife, Kate, had died after a Florida freeway accident, it sometimes seemed like yesterday. Surprisingly, it wasn’t what he saw in the corridors, but what he heard and smelled when he closed his eyes—the pungent medicinal odors mixed with the sweet fragrance of stargazer lilies, the soft shuffle of footsteps punctuated by the constant ding of elevator bells, and the hissing, beeping sounds of medical monitors—that summoned the vivid images of the last days of his wife’s life.

Now, restless and confined by the square room, David sought a change of scenery. Putting both feet on the floor, he tested his balance and was pleased with the progress he’d made in such a short time. After getting dressed, he slowly headed down the carpeted hallway to the waiting room near the elevators. Despite some interior decorator’s fine effort, the scenic mountain mural, the ficus trees and the upholstered furniture didn’t fool anyone—it was still a hospital waiting room.

Standing in the bright sunshine, he cautiously stretched his arms over his head. He didn’t care what the doctors said, the only thing wrong with him was a few sore muscles. There was no need for him to spend another night here.

He continued to stretch, leaning forward at the waist, then to the side, the back, and the opposite side. When the nearby elevator dinged and the door opened, he looked up and saw Jessie and Isabel.

“You must be feeling better,” Jessie said, her smile conveying relief and enthusiasm as she allowed Isabel to kiss her father’s cheek.

“Much better. In fact, I’m ready to check out.”

“Is that your diagnosis or the doctor’s, Mr. Akers?” she asked with a smile that told him not to bother answering.

Determined to prove his point, he opened his arms to Isabel, who immediately leaned into his embrace. And even though his chest muscles tightened uncomfortably with her extra weight, he beamed with pride. It would only be a day or two at the most before he was back to normal.

“Now what do you think?” he asked. But before Jessie could answer, the elevator stopped on the floor and her parents stepped off.

“Mom, Dad.” Jessie greeted her parents with a quick kiss on the cheek. “I didn’t expect to see you here this morning.”

“We were running errands and decided to check on David. If there’s anything we can do to help, don’t hesitate to ask.”

With Isabel anchored on his left hip, David extended his right hand in greeting as he said thank you to Don and Helene.

“Mom and Dad speak often of you,” he said.

“We think the world of them.” Helene smiled as she spoke and playfully squeezed Isabel’s hand. “And the way your mother’s always talking about Isabel, I feel like I know this little one.” Seeking David’s gaze, Helene added, “We’re serious about our offer. With your parents out of town, please don’t think twice about asking us for help. That’s what friends are for.”

David nodded with sincere appreciation.

Helene pulled a terry-cloth stuffed rattle from her purse and waved the bright-colored toy in front of Isabel. Instantly, the toddler reached for it, and when she did, Helene took the child into her arms, just as David imagined she did with her own grandchildren.

David was surprised when the Claybrooks made themselves comfortable on the institutional sofa. They obviously intended to stay for a while. But one glance at Jessie and his astonishment dissolved. The Claybrooks bequeathed kindness and compassion in the same way most families passed on blue eyes and curly red hair. And because they were friends of his parents, they were willing to lend him a hand.

Drawn to the healing warmth of the sunshine, David shuffled closer to the floor-to-ceiling windows. Holding his body erect, he watched children on swings in the playground below. “I thought I’d have heard something from the doctor by now.”

“Hospitals operate on their own timetables. Try to relax,” Helene said. Then, turning toward Jessie, she added with a teasing lilt, “I’m guessing that as in your case, patience isn’t one of David’s virtues.”

“Really?” Jessie said, though her smile gave her away. “I would never have guessed that.”

“Hey,” David said, “I’m the injured party here. How about a little sympathy?”

Again Helene addressed Jessie. “Like he doesn’t think we know he’s heading straight to the office as soon as he’s released from here.” She turned back to David, softening her voice. “Your mother tells me you push yourself too hard. I know she’d want you to take a few days off. I promise you, the business won’t collapse if you take a short vacation.”

David smiled, just as he did when his own mother launched into this too-familiar argument. Before he could respond, Helene added, “I’ve been saying the same thing to Jessie for the past three years. A little time off doesn’t hurt anyone. It helps you put your priorities in perspective.”

Curious as to Jessie’s reaction, David met her gaze. Where he’d expected to see a stroke of irritation or a touch of defensiveness, he saw shades of pain. He didn’t know what had happened in her past that compelled her to work long hours, but whatever it was, the spidery roots of disappointment and heartache ran deep into her heart.