Page 30 of Bidding on a Second Chance
“It’s not always a lifetime. There are a lot of factors, and plenty of them are out of anyone’s control. Look at Mom and Dad. An accident cut everything short.”
“They had a lifetime together. It was the length God chose rather than the one we would’ve picked for them, but they were happy together and happier still for loving you and Ryan.”
“And now, if they were around, they’d be heartbroken at how it all turned out.”
“Nothing’s ‘turned out’ yet, dear. Nothing’s done until we’re safe in eternity with our Savior. When we look back from there, we’ll understand what’s incomprehensible right now.” Grandma resettled her glasses on her nose. “You don’t really wish they’d never started a family because of what might be.”
She was right, of course. Piper couldn’t wish she didn’t exist.
“I think they’d be happy.” Grandma patted Piper’s knee. “Proud of you, and of Ryan for the changes he’s making. They might long for more grandbabies, though.”
“Grandma, please.” Outside the picture window, Graham eased his truck along the curb. Another minute, and he’d be inside, cutting this short.
Grandbabies. Those were probably the whole reason for the interest in Piper’s relationship with Graham. If being romantically involved with Graham opened up too many possibilities for disaster, children would bring even more. “Not everyone wants kids.”
“True, but are you sure you’re one of them? You were a doting mother to your dollies as a girl. And I overheard all the moms at church raving about your babysitting skills when you were a teen. You had a real passion for children. From what I can see, you still do.” She tipped her head toward Bryce.
An image—or maybe it was more an emotion—flashed through her mind of what it would be like to have a family with Graham. But the fulfillment and safety that her brain conjured were nothing more than wishful thinking. Too often, life didn’t work out like that.
If only the world worked differently. Would all the hardships really make sense when she was in heaven? Maybe. But surely God couldn’t blame her for protecting herself a little bit in the meantime.
“Graham’s a friend, and I’m hoping he’ll be a mentor to Bryce. That’s all.” She watched him exit the driver’s seat. Teddy, still in the cab, put his paws on the dash and peered out the windshield. Graham must have planned to get him out from the passenger side, maybe because the street was a fairly busy one.
Bryce threw the ball toward the basket, but it ricocheted off the rim and flew down the driveway, toward the street. He sprinted after it without checking for traffic.
Grandpa stood and called out as the ball bounced past the curb on a trajectory that would land directly in front of an oncoming car. Bryce didn’t seem to hear the warning, and another vehicle advanced from the opposite direction.
Graham, the only one close enough to intervene, studied the other side of the street, completely unaware.
ChapterTwenty
That basketball sounded close. Graham swung his gaze from the huge turkey inflatable across the street and saw the top of Bryce’s head over the tailgate of the truck. The kid was booking it. Graham had looked for traffic when he’d gotten out of his truck, so he knew how close the cars were without having to scan the area again.
“Bryce, no!”
The ball bounced into the first lane of traffic.
The boy didn’t slow, but Graham made it into his path at the rear of the truck. Bryce slammed into him as tires squealed in the road. Graham locked the boy to his chest and rushed him to the sidewalk.
He bent to look into his wide eyes. “Are you okay?”
Bryce looked from Graham to the street.
A car door opened. “Trying to give me a heart attack? Look first, kid!”
Tears flooded Bryce’s eyes, and he charged for the house.
Shaken but unhurt.
Thank you, Lord.
With a sigh, Graham turned to deal with the drivers, both of whom had stopped, one with the basketball wedged under their front bumper.
Way too close for comfort.
As his adrenaline faded, the muscles of his back, arms, and chest felt every ounce of tension he hadn’t had time for in the moment.
He verified that everyone in both vehicles was also all right and assured them Bryce was okay and that he’d talk to him about looking before entering the street. He retrieved the basketball, got Teddy from the cab of the truck, and started for the house.
