Page 44 of New Hope

Chapter Fifteen

FORD

“There was definitely someone wandering around outside this time. Like I said, I kept hearing a strange scratching sound, but when I came outside to check, there was no one there. They must have hidden on the other side of the garage because they knocked over my garbage can. It made a terrible racket. Scared me so bad, I hurried back inside, locked the door, and called 9-1-1 right away.”

“You did the right thing by calling us, Mrs. Bernard. Lieutenant Archer is having a look around right now. If anyone’s out there, he’ll find them.” I finished taking her statement then tucked the small notebook and pen back in my pocket. It was the second time that week she’d called the station to report a suspicious person lurking around. Ben had responded the first time, but as usual, found nothing but the lonely, elderly woman. She’d invited him to stay for tea and sent him back to the station with a tin of her homemade caramel apple cookies.

“Oh, good. I know I’m a lot of trouble, but I don’t know what I’d do without you boys.” Her wrinkled face crinkled even more as she smiled.

“It’s no trouble at all, ma’am. We’re happy to help out.” I smiled back at her, sincere in what I’d said.

I couldn’t imagine having done this at my old job. It never would have happened. Sure, we would have responded and checked to be sure nothing was wrong, but then we’d have rushed off, typically getting another call over the radio before we’d even climbed back in our cruisers. But life in New Hope was different, there was certainly less crime, but it was also less hurried. Time seemed to move at a slower pace here. It had been hard for me to get used to at first, but now, I wouldn’t want it any other way. Slowing down, I’d learned, gave me more time to appreciate the small moments in each day, like having tea with Mrs. Bernard.

“Would you like some tea while you wait for Mr. Archer? I put a fresh kettle on right after I called you.”

“I’d love some. Thank you.” I took my hat off as I walked into the kitchen.

Well acquainted with where she kept her cups, I grabbed three of them out of the cabinet while she busied herself with pouring the tea into a pot and preparing small dishes with cream and sugar, lemon wedges, and honey. I carried the mugs over and set them down on the table in the middle of the room then sat myself in a chair.

I loved that table. The wood top was faded and cracked, worn with age, but I imagined it had plenty of stories it could tell, if only tables could speak. Years of bleary-eyed mornings, mugs of coffee sipped while pouring over the newspaper, warm suppers on cold nights, birthday cakes and peach pies, homework, and science fair projects. Every mark, dent, and moisture ring along the surface told the history of the family that owned it and the life they’d shared.

I rolled my eyes inwardly. I never used to wax poetic like that, not even in my own head. But I was changing. My view of the world and what I wanted for my life was evolving. For so long, I’d been stuck in a rut, doing whatever it took to simply get through the day, with each one blurring into the next. My job had become a source of stress, worries about Ellie hung over my shoulders like a heavy yoke, and I had sworn off relationships of any kind, resigning myself to living my life alone with only my daughter for company. But then I’d met River, and everything changed.

Of course, the change in location and job had helped, but it was River who had made the real difference. I’d been standoffish at first, the walls I’d built around me securely in place, but he hadn’t given up. He’d shown me I didn’t have to do everything alone, that it was okay to rely on others, and that I could trust him to be there if I needed help. He’d constantly charmed me with his sweet smile and taught me how to laugh again with his terrific sense of humor until I’d found myself, completely at his mercy. A realization that had terrified me at first.

The first time I’d realized I had feelings for River that went beyond friendship, it had shaken me to the core. Could I trust him with my heart? Could I leave myself vulnerable to anyone ever again after the things Connie had done? But River wasn’t like Connie. In fact, in most ways they were polar opposites.

Looking back, I was able to see all the ways in which Connie was wrong for me. Her selfishness, the lies, the way nothing I did ever seemed to make her happy. I used to blame myself, thinking that I must not be a good enough husband, father, provider if my wife was so unhappy. But in reality, it had nothing to do with me. It never had. The truth was Connie wasn’t happy with herself. She’d always been restless, waiting for her big break, and blaming others when it failed to happen, always wanting more out of life than what she’d been given.

Except that what she’d been given was everything I’d ever longed for. Love, a home, a family. How she’d managed to walk away from her own daughter was something I’d never understand, and probably would never be able to forgive. However, I was no longer consumed with bitterness and anger when I thought of my ex-wife.

Instead, I felt sorry for her because she was going to miss out on watching our little girl grow up. She wouldn’t be there for the important events in Ellie’s life, like shopping for a prom dress, cheering as she got her diploma, watching her walk down the aisle, and eventually, seeing Ellie’s features in the faces of her own children. I, on the other hand, refused to miss a single second. I would be there for every happy memory, as well as the bad, every Christmas and broken heart and all the spaces in between that made up our life together.

The difference, however, was that when I pictured myself enjoying those moments, I no longer saw myself standing alone. The image in my mind now, included River and Hannah. Our relationship was still fairly new. I had no idea what would end up happening between us, but I knew without a doubt that he would always be in my life. Even if it turned out to be as friends.

Although, if things continued going as well as they had been, then we would only continue to get closer. In the two weeks since we’d taken the girls trick or treating, we’d become inseparable. Texting each other silly things throughout the workday, helping the girls with their homework after school, and cooking dinner together in the evenings. Nights were for the two of us. After the girls had fallen asleep in their own beds, we’d slip away to our rooms and Facetime or call each other, staying up talking until one of us eventually fell asleep.

“Here, let me carry that, Mrs. Bernard.” I jumped out of my seat and rushed over to the counter where she had our snack laid out on a fancy serving tray.

“I sliced some of my pumpkin bread for you boys to try. It was my mama’s recipe and I guarantee it’s the best pumpkin bread you’ll ever taste,” she said as I carried everything over to the table and set it down.

We’d just sat down when we heard Mike come through the front door. “Mrs. Bernard? I found your intruder.”

Her hand flew up to her mouth as we both turned and waited for him to appear, but when he walked through the doorway, the culprit wasn’t at all what I’d expected. “Oh my! It’s a puppy!” the elderly woman exclaimed.

Mike gazed down at the wriggling ball of fur. Dirt and leaves clung to its coat, and it looked like it hadn’t had a meal in days. “Yeah. I found him hiding out behind the garage. He ran and hid from me at first, but I finally coaxed him out and he let me pick him up. There’s no telling what he’s been through, but he’s hungry, that’s for sure.”

The elderly woman hopped up from her chair. She went to the refrigerator and began rummaging around inside it, coming back a moment later with a plate of leftover chicken. “I have something that’ll fix you right up,” she said, picking off a small piece of chicken and holding it out to the puppy. He sniffed her fingers then gave them a gentle lick before snatching up the bite of food.

She continued feeding him, eventually sitting down and taking the puppy onto her own lap. She scratched him behind the ears and spoke to him in a soothing voice as he ate. Mike and I shared a long look. “Mrs. Bernard, do you think maybe the puppy could stay here with you for a while?”

She glanced up at me. “I don’t know. Shouldn’t we try and find his family?” Her voice held a cautious amount of hope.

Mike ran his fingers along his jaw. “Well, that’s the thing. He’s not wearing a tag and the nearest house is several miles away. There’s no telling how long he’s been wandering around which would make locating the owner kind of tough.”

“Besides, he obviously feels comfortable with you. He finally stopped shaking as soon as you held him,” I added.

Mrs. Bernard looked back and forth between me and Mike then down at the puppy, smiling softly. “If you think he’d be happy here…”

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