Chapter Thirty-Two

Hopeful. Hopeless.

Lori alternated between the two extremes.

Her father had taken her for a malt on Monday evening, the day after their talk, and they’d had a very nice visit. They were still tentative and feeling their way around each other. He was very careful and tender with her. She was hopeful that they might repair their relationship and she could have a father again, even though he hadn’t been there for her before.

They even had plans for the weekend. He was going to pick up both her and Greg tomorrow and they were going to spend a nice Saturday morning at the art museum. Maybe the next time, she’d be ready to include his other daughters. But not just yet.

On the other end of the spectrum, it had been twelve days since John had last called—nearly two weeks—and he hadn’t written or
e-mailed or called again. She had finally accepted that he really wasn’t going to be part of her future. He wanted his own children and he probably couldn’t forgive her for keeping the truth from him. And how could she blame him?

Lori had put off job hunting since she’d arrived home, but after the weekend, she would start looking. She needed cash while she finished her screenplay.

A knock was followed by Lori’s mother peeking around the bedroom door. “Hey, hon, want to go out to a movie?”

“I don’t think so, Mom. Maybe next weekend.”

Her mother stepped into the room. “You’re too young to be wasting away at home.”

Lori smiled. “And I’m too old to be guilt-tripped into going out.”

“I guess you are, at that. Okay, another exciting Friday night watching a DVD and munching popcorn?”

“You choose the movie.”

“Return to Me.”

Lori sighed. “Mom, he’s not coming for me. It’s over. I’ve accepted it.”

“Never stop dreaming, Lori. Don’t give up on love.”

Lori smiled. “What time is Greg coming over?”

His brother had called earlier to announce he wanted to show them the new suit he’d bought for a date with a woman he’d met.

Her mother glanced at her watch. “Any time now.”

“Anybody home?” a woman called from downstairs.

“Up here, Marti,” Lori shouted back as she stood and joined her mother. “We’ll be right down.”

“Come on.” Mom wrapped an arm around Lori’s waist. “Let’s party.”

Lori laughed. “Let’s do.”

As they walked down the stairs, Marti looked up at them, her hands on her hips. “I hear there’s a wild movie night here every Friday. When does it start?”

“As soon as you rowdy yourself up a little.”

Marti did a few dance moves from their high school era, and both Lori and her mother laughed.

“All right,” Lori said. “Let the wild party begin.”

Someone knocked on the door. “Oh, for Pete’s sake, Greg,” called out her mother. “You don’t have to knock.”

Another knock.

Lori rolled her eyes. “I’ll get it and smack him around a little while I’m at it.”

As she swung open the door, she said, “Come in, already, you freakishly tall—”

She stopped, frozen in place.

It wasn’t Greg.

John Wayne Walker stood on her porch.

Shocked into silence, she stood still for the longest moment.

Dressed in slacks and a white button-down shirt, he’d obviously dressed up for the occasion.

She still couldn’t move. “What are you doing here?”

He looked nervous. “I’m sorry I haven’t called.”

She whispered, “It’s been nearly two weeks.”

“I know. We were out of contact with everyone during the worst of the blaze. Then, after I got home and found your note and your ring, I decided I had to come talk to you in person. It would be too easy for you to tell me to get lost over the phone.”

“Oh.”

“Oh,” her mother repeated as she stepped up beside Lori. She smiled widely. “You must be John Walker.”

He smiled and put out his hand. “Yes, ma’am, I am.”

“I’m Irene Scott.” Her mother beamed as she shook his hand. “Please do come in.”

“Thank you,” he said as he turned back to lock gazes with Lori, “but I need to speak with your daughter first.”

Marti came up. “Hi, I’m Marti Owens—Lori’s best friend.”

“Glad to meet you.”

Marti studied him. “I told you he’d be back,” she muttered to Lori.

“Shh,” Lori said. “He’s not back for me.”

John tilted his head. “I’m not?”

Lori turned to the other two women. “Could we please have a moment of privacy here?”

“Hey, Lori,” called out Greg as he pulled up in his new suit and Jeep. “He looks freakishly tall.”

John raised an eyebrow. “And you said my family was weird.”

“I never said that.” She looked into his blue eyes and said, “Come inside.”

She led him to the breakfast nook where they could be alone. She stood, nervous, not sure what to say.

Finally, the words spewed out of Lori. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner that I couldn’t have children. At first I thought it didn’t matter because I didn’t plan on getting involved. I was just going to come home without falling in love. But then I fell in love, and then I didn’t want to lose you by telling you, and then I didn’t even know how to tell you.”

He put his finger up gently to her lips. “Shh. I’ve forgiven you for that.”

“Are you dating Dawn now?”

He looked surprised. “Why would I be doing that?”

“Because . . . I thought . . .”

“No. I am not dating anyone else.”

“Oh,” said Lori, a flicker of hope lighting her heart.

“Lori, I’m sorry it took me so long to work through things. And to come to you. And now I need to know if you can forgive me for being so upset.” His blue eyes radiated love for her—the same love she could feel within herself. “Can you forgive me?”

“Of course.” She smiled just a tiny bit.

“It doesn’t matter to me that you can’t have children.”

“John, we can’t survive a marriage built on guilt.”

“Guilt?”

“I will feel guilty forever.”

John shook his head. “Our marriage will be built on love. And I want to have children with you. We can adopt.” He looked at her, his hands clenched as if he was nervous. “If you want, that is.”

“I’m just afraid it won’t be the same for you as having your own children. I know you’ll be the kind of parent Quinn and Tricia are. They adore their kids. And I want that for you. You deserve that.”

He started laughing. “You want the same thing for me that Quinn and Tricia have?”

She didn’t see what was so funny. “Yes.”

“Oh, Lori.” He reached for her, pulling her into his arms. “I have missed you so much.”

She went to him easily and clung to him, not wanting to ever let him go. “I’ve missed you, too.”

With a low rumble in his chest, almost a chuckle, he said, “Quinn and Tricia adopted Evan and Emma.”

Surprised, she pulled back just enough to look up at him. “What?”

“They adopted. And I could adore our adopted children just as much as Quinn and Tricia adore theirs.”

Joy filled her heart. “So that’s how Tricia got her figure back so quickly.”

He laughed again, and this time she joined in.

But then she grew serious. “But you said you wanted girls who looked just like me.”

“I want you, Lori. I have spent practically every waking moment since I first met you thinking about you. My world finally came alive when you entered it. Suddenly, there were sparks.”

“And I know how you like sparks,” she teased.

“And it’s been horrible for me these past two weeks thinking I might have lost you.” He hugged her again and then held her out from him, his hands on her arms. “Heavenly Father will send us children, one way or another. The children who are meant to be ours.”

He leaned over and kissed her.

“Ah, how sweet,” said Greg.

Lori ignored her brother and wrapped her arms around John’s neck. After a long moment, they pulled back.

Lori turned to see the three of them—her mother, brother, and best friend—clapping loudly.

“I’m sorry about my family,” she said to John.

“Don’t be. I like ’em.” He relaxed his hold on her and took her hand. “Oh, wait, I have something to show you.”

He reached in his shirt pocket and pulled out a print.

It was a picture of people on a roller coaster. Lagoon’s white wooden roller coaster. And she could pick out John’s terror-stricken face as he rode the first big drop down.

She looked up at him, questioningly.

He said, “You suggested a bargain.”

“You’re too late.” She laughed. “I already called my father. I even went for a malt with him and I’m seeing him tomorrow, too.”

“Are you kidding?” He pulled the picture back. “You mean I rode that beast for nothing?”

“Not for nothing.” She hugged him again. “I admire you greatly.”

“Then it was worth it.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out her ring. “You left something of yours at my place, and I need to return it.” He took her hand and slipped the ring back on her finger.

“It was fate, after all,” whispered her mother.

John grinned and looked into Lori’s eyes. “It sure was. It took some darts, a fire, and some wild zucchinis to bring us together.”

Lori looked at the others. “Scram.”

“First show us your ring.” Marti picked up her friend’s hand. “It’s beautiful. Look how big it is.”

Her mother said, “It’s gorgeous.”

“Now will you please leave us alone?” begged Lori. “Please?”

Laughing, the three of them disappeared into the living room.

With a sigh, Lori slipped into John’s embrace again. “I just have one question.”

“Anything.”

“It may seem kind of silly, but can we honeymoon in Yellow-stone? I’ve never been.”

He laughed in surprise. “Only if we can go to Hawaii after-ward.”

“You’ve got a deal.”

“No,” he said with a tender smile. “I’ve got a date with eternity.”

THE GARDEN GURU

Dear Dr. Dobson: Is there such a thing as a happy ending? I know you are a gardening expert, not a life coach, but I have always loved to garden and I don’t know who else to turn to. Since my husband died last spring, I haven’t been able to get myself back on my feet and into the garden. Can you help me? (Victoria)

Dear Victoria: Oh, yes, indeed, there is such a thing as a happy ending, even for such a sad story as yours. I, myself, am proof of that. After several years of waiting, I have married my sweetheart, Miss Agatha McCrea. I’ve finally found my true love; you’ve lost yours—yet these are but two sides of the same love story. Please don’t give up hope, dear lady. Start small, with one plant. Soon you’ll realize that life is still all around you. Watching the new spring growth of plants will remind you of the oft-quoted circle of life, and you will begin to find your new place in that circle. I beg of you, go back out into the garden today. And be sure to visit my wife’s new Web site; she counsels people on how to enhance their lives with simple changes. She has certainly enhanced mine. Good luck, dear lady. Write again . . .