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She shakes her head. “He can’t. He’s already missed so much work. He owns a landscaping business and he and his dad run a Christmas tree farm that is gearing up for the holiday season, and he needs the work. St. Jude doesn’t charge, but they are already buried under so much medical debt from his prior treatments, and they have two older kids at home. It’s just heartbreaking.”
“So, he’ll miss Thanksgiving and Christmas with his sick son. One who might not ever make it home?” I ask.
“Yeah, it’s awful. But Theo is a trooper. He’s been so brave.”
The tears spill down her cheeks and onto her chin.
“That shouldn’t be. A man shouldn’t have to choose between providing for his family and being there when they’re sick and need him by their side. There has to be something that can be done,” I say.
She swipes at her face. “I know. We just haven’t been able to figure out what to do. Some of the men in town have offered to work his lawn contracts, so he can go, but that’s just a temporary fix. It’s just sad.”
The band announces that the silent auction is closing in ten minutes.
“Come on, Foxy. Let’s go spend some of my money,” I say.
“You go ahead. I need to mingle for a few minutes,” she says, before walking away and greeting a couple sitting at a table against the far wall.
As I walk about perusing the auction items, I stop at the lifetime coffee card from Well-Bred. The highest bid is two hundred dollars.
I take the pen provided and add my sum to the list.
A throat clears beside me and I turn to see Pastor Humphries looking down at the slip of paper.
“That’s a rather exorbitant amount of money for free coffee, son,” he muses.
“It’s for the children and library; besides, it doesn’t even come close to enough compensation for being greeted by Ansley’s beautiful face every morning for life.”
He nods.
“I agree.”
I look over my shoulder to see her talking with Deputy Kevin and frown.
His gaze follows mine.
“He’s a good man. Everyone in town respects him. He’d be an excellent match for my daughter,” he says, then he brings his eyes back to me.
“If her heart didn’t already belong to someone else,” he continues.
Does he think she could still love me?
“I didn’t come here looking to get in the way of her life. I thought she would be happily taken by now and that our love would have become just a faded memory, but the minute I laid my eyes on her, it all came back like a bolt of lightning. I’m sure that’s not what you wanted to hear, sir, but it’s not something I can fight,” I confess.
He sighs.
“You may not believe this, but I never had a problem with you, Garrett. I had a problem with you two being too young to make grown-up decisions. Neither of you was ready. You both needed time to grow into your own goals and dreams.”
“We could have grown together,” I say.
He shakes his head.
“Maybe. Maybe not. But you would have been swept up into the whirlwind of playing bars and chasing after record deals and she would have been waiting for you to come home, and to have time for her. She would have been a high school dropout, lost and alone most of the time. She deserved better than that,” he explains.
“You can’t know that. I loved her. I wouldn’t have treated her that way.” He gives me a sideways look.
“Don’t believe everything you see on television or the internet. I’ve made mistakes, but I’m not the man they portray me to be,” I insist.
“I know. Your mother and I are close friends. She keeps me abreast of what is true and what is exaggerated. You and I both know that the true parts are not okay, but I stand before a congregation every Sunday and talk about the fact that forgiveness and redemption are available to all people. That includes you. It also includes me. I’m not perfect but I am her father. I had a responsibility to guide her and protect her as I saw fit until she was mature enough to protect herself. She was seventeen. One day, when you have a baby girl of your own, you’ll understand that instinct. Did I do the right thing? I believe I did. I have no regrets. But she is an intelligent and thoughtful young woman now and it’s not my job to protect her from her decisions anymore. It’s my job to love and support her no matter what.”
“What if she decides she wants me?”
“Then her mother and I will welcome you into our family with open arms, and I will expect you to be the man she deserves.”
“That’s a tall order,” I admit.
He clasps my shoulder.
“It sure is.”
Ansley’s mother approaches. “Everything okay over here?” she asks. He smiles at her.
“Absolutely, my love. Garrett and I were just catching up.” She looks between us nervously.
“And?”
“We’re good. Don’t you think we’re good, son?” he asks. “Yes, sir. I think we are.”
She smiles a relieved smile.
“Oh, wonderful. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to steal my husband and talk him into bidding on a few items I’ve got my eye on,” she says.
“Of course, my dear. Let’s spend some money.”
He offers her his elbow and she wraps her arm in his. They disappear into the crowd.
