“My mom hasn’t been well for a while. At least, I felt like I’ve seen it and no one else has.” The disguise was fully back. Maybe she had imagined it. There was a pause as he seemed to think. “Except for one person. One person that I didn’t really expect to be so observant, but they were.”
“Oh? Did something happen tonight?” she asked.
She tilted her head, and he leaned back against the tree.
“Yeah. Mom was just—she had slept all afternoon, then when we walked in, instead of helping, she said she’d sit down. And she brought potato chips. She never brings something store-bought to a meal. She always makes something homemade. But it wasn’t untilshe said she would rather sit down than help in the kitchen that my whole family realized there was something wrong.”
“Then you were vindicated. Because haven’t you said something and they haven’t listened?”
“That’s right. They haven’t. And so yeah, I suppose I haven’t told you that my sister is a doctor, and she’s going to see Mom tomorrow.”
He paused a bit, as though thinking about it, and she thought that maybe he was so wrapped up in what he was thinking that he didn’t realize that he had just given away a detail about his family that…she could figure out who he was.
Maybe her brain didn’t want to, because it was a little bit slow, but he continued on talking about some of the other symptoms that he’d seen with his mom while Nelly held her breath.
It was Roland. The man speaking to her was Roland McBride.
His sister, Terry McBride, who had married Judd and was no longer McBride, ran the medical center in town. That much was obvious. Of course. He was the exact height, and while he spoke in an affected tone, she could recognize his voice under it.
It was Roland.
She felt shock and felt a little aghast at herself because she…she was pretty sure she was falling in love with him. And that made sense. The fact that as she was working with him on the Christmas play, and as the Secret Saint, and even at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony, she had felt very similar feelings—a calmness and a peace and a security, and she thought again about how their voices blended together. She had felt something touch her soul when their eyes had met, and their voices blended, and they sang together.
She hadn’t been able to put her finger on it, but it was the same way she felt when she worked with the Secret Saint.
“Do you think I did the right thing?” Roland finally said, and she realized he’d been talking for a while and now wanted her opinion.
“Of course. You tried to tell your family. They didn’t listen. You talked to your mom, asked her to go to the doctor, and she refused.What were you going to do? Beat everybody over the head and insist that you were right? Kidnap your mom and take her to the doctor? You did what you could.”
“I just hope it’s nothing serious. She is… She’s the anchor of our family. She’s been there for us no matter what. She’s sacrificed so much for her children, and there’s never been any doubt in our minds that we were loved, because of her. Plus, I know she prays for us all every day. It’s a blessing to know that you have a mom who cares that much about you. You know?”
“Yeah, and being surrounded by her prayers just gives you a security that I’m sure is a real blessing.”
“It really is.”
She put a hand on his arm. Normally she didn’t touch him.
But this time…she just couldn’t keep herself from it. He needed comfort, and sometimes the only comfort that was possible was the comfort of a human touch.
“I think you did the right thing. I know it’s hard. Hard to see someone that you know and love and has always been such a rock in your life not be her normal self.” Boy, did she know about that, with her gram. And Roland, of all people, had been there to help her.
Now, looking back, knowing what she knew now, she couldn’t believe how he had been woven throughout her life but especially throughout this last month. He’d been there for her when she needed someone after her grandma had her episode.
And it kind of explained her fierce response when the pastor had accused him of stealing. She knew he hadn’t done what he had been accused of.
“I appreciate that. I guess… I was really looking forward to coming here tonight, just because you’re so easy to talk to. Thanks for listening.”
“I wish I could do something to help. To make it so that you knew that there was nothing wrong with your mom. Or something along those lines, but I guess I’m just here if you need me.”
“That’s enough. It’s good to know that you have someone you can depend on, you know?”
“Yeah. That’s what friends are for.” She was definitely friends with Roland. She had felt that the last few times they’d been together, that their antagonism had been buried, and they were actually friends. And she’d always felt that way about her Secret Saint partner. But now… She knew who it was. She debated about whether she should tell him or what to do about it. But what good would it do to let him know that she knew who he was? He might want to know who she was, and…she didn’t think she was ready to say. Maybe she never would be. Although, she was kind of curious to know whether he was as drawn to her in their real life as she was to him.
She kind of thought he might be drawn to her as the Secret Saint. He hadn’t said so specifically, but he had just said that he really looked forward to talking to her, and they talked about how compatible they were. That didn’t really mean a whole lot, but perhaps… She just didn’t know. She would keep it to herself for now.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I have a friend who’s going through a bit of a hard time, and I arranged to have some things dropped off for her. I suppose it’s in my Secret Saint capacity, but not really. It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing as I was thinking about her, and…she’s kind of special to me.”
Nelly blinked. That felt like it came out of left field. “No. Of course not. You can do nice things for anyone anytime you want to.”
