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“Forgave Him?” Caleb asked with a frown.
She quirked her mouth. “I blamed God for losing Tabitha and for my parents’ divorce. I blamed Him for all the ills in my world.” She made a tutting sound. “It got me nowhere in the grieving process. It just made me bitter and lonely and isolated.”
“How did you move toward forgiveness?” he asked, intrigued by Addie’s journey. Underneath her calm exterior, there were undercurrents swirling under the surface.
He stared at Addie’s full lips. She was nervously chewing on her bottom lip. “It wasn’t easy, but being angry at God didn’t rest well with my soul. I missed Him. So one day when I was at rock bottom I fell to my knees and cried out to Him.” She ducked her head down. Caleb had the feeling she was dealing with a large amount of emotion.
He reached out and tipped her chin up. “Don’t be ashamed of what you’re feeling. Your story is inspiring.”
“Thanks,” she said, blinking away moisture from her lovely brown eyes. “I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve.”
Caleb didn’t admit it, but he’d been known to do the same thing on a few occasions.
“Some might say that’s a good thing,” Caleb said. At one point he’d wished his ex-girlfriend had been more emotional. Felicity had viewed life in a cut and dried manner. She’d never loved him. Not really. Even though they had exchanged words of love, Felicity hadn’t been in love with him. Not in the truest sense of the word. In the end, her actions had shown him the truth. Real love didn’t yield pain and betrayal. Love shouldn’t hurt.
“I might have to pick your brain about how you dealt with the divorce,” Caleb said, his thoughts veering toward his parents. The shock still hadn’t worn off about the separation of Jude and Penelope Donahue. The news had gone off like a bomb in the Donahue family. Everyone had been shocked. Not a single one of his siblings had seen it coming. Caleb knew he hadn’t. Not in a million years. He was trying not to allow his own feelings to dominate the situation. Both of his parents needed his unwavering support, especially considering some of his siblings weren’t taking the news so well. Heath was already spiraling out of control. Now that he was living with Caleb, at least he could keep a closer eye on him.
Addie winced. “I’m sorry to hear that. No matter how old we are, we’re still our parents’ kids. It hurts. It feels like the end of the story of our childhood.”
“That’s exactly how it feels. And I keep wondering at what moment did it all start unraveling? And why can’t they work on their issues? I’m honestly not in any position to judge them. I love them both more than I could ever express in words.”
“But?” Addie prodded.
“They took vows. That should mean something.” There! He’d said it. The thing that had been resting on his heart for the last few weeks. This feeling of being so disappointed and jaded about the state of his parents’ marriage. As a Christian, he hated the idea of judging them, but as their child he felt betrayed. He’d invested in their love story. He’d thought their marriage was tried and true. Till the end of time. Unbreakable.
“I’m sure it does, Caleb. But that doesn’t mean they can live out the rest of their lives together. Marriage is complicated. That’s what I had to accept with my own parents. Their choices—however I felt about them—were their choices. You have to do the same thing. It sounds as if they are both God fearing people. I’m sure it’s a struggle for them.”
Silence stretched out between them as Caleb allowed Addie’s words to marinate. He was walking through the situation very carefully. He wanted to be thoughtful and measured regarding the situation. In a family as big as his own, Caleb knew all too well that things could get dramatic at a moment’s notice. He needed to take the high road and be compassionate. At the same time, he prayed for a reconciliation. It wasn’t over until it was over.
Addie’s words helped immeasurably. He knew it was normal to have feelings of anger and shock. But Caleb was determined to be a support system for his family throughout this emotional ordeal.
“You’re right. And I’m going to continue to pray for them. And hope.” He prayed every day for his parents and for his seven siblings. And he was going to hold on to hope that his parents would find their way back to each other before their separation turned into something more permanent.
“Sounds good,” Addie said with a nod, checking her wristwatch. “Oops. I didn’t mean to send us down the rabbit trail. I better get to work.”
Caleb watched as she headed off in
the direction of the office. She had a spring in her step. Addie radiated enthusiasm. He couldn’t be certain, but he thought her confidence had blossomed during the short time she’d been working at the Blue Bayou. She seemed far more centered than the young lady who had unceremoniously showed up at his eatery and announced she was his partner. Caleb felt a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. If anyone had told him a few weeks ago that Addie would be a breath of fresh air for his restaurant, he would have called them all kinds of crazy.
But now, Addie was infusing the Blue Bayou with her gentle nature and positivity. She’d added a much-needed feminine vibe to the place.
All of a sudden, he noticed Paolo standing nearby. When he turned toward him, Paolo was studying him with a curious expression etched on his face.
“What’s up, Paolo?” he asked.
“The two of you have…what’s it called?” Paolo scrunched up his face. Caleb knew he was searching for the English word he wanted to use. As a Spanish speaker, Paolo sometimes struggled with finding the right words to express himself, although his English was amazing. “Chemistry?”
Caleb coughed. “Chemistry? If you mean we get along, sure. Addie’s a great woman. But if you’re insinuating something else, my friend, you’re all wrong. It’s strictly business.”
Paolo chuckled and gave him an all-knowing look. He held up his hands. “Don’t kill the messenger. I could be wrong. It wouldn’t be the first time.”
**
Day by day, Addie was getting used to working at the Blue Bayou. It was shaping up to be a wonderful experience. Caleb was smart and capable. He took the time to explain things to her and he didn’t just expect her to know it all off the bat. This morning Addie had arrived at the Blue Bayou early. She’d opened up the place and let a few employees inside.
The moment Caleb arrived, Addie sensed his approach before he’d even made a sound. She swung her gaze up. Her heart constricted. She was having trouble offering him a simple greeting. Why did this man make her heart skip a beat?
Did Caleb ever have a day when he didn’t look gorgeous? Did he have to be so appealing? The crisp white shirt he wore looked nice against his brown skin, while the fit of the shirt showcased his strong chest and powerful arms. She nervously bit her lip, wishing she didn’t feel such an incredible attraction for her co-worker. Men like Caleb had never been interested in her. She’d always been the plain Jane.
