Around the Bend (Sandy Cove Series Book 4) Read online

  Amber looked away and nodded, seeming to be deep in thoughts of her own.

  “Why don’t you call me tomorrow,” Michelle suggested. “Let me talk to Steve, and we’ll see what we can work out.” She could see the disappointment on her face. “We’ll work out something. I promise.”

  “Okay.” Amber glanced out to the car, and Michelle saw her boyfriend watching them.

  “Where are you two staying?” she asked.

  “We’re staying with a friend of my mom’s. Chad said we can stay for a few more days then he’s got to get back to work.”

  “Okay. We’ll figure out some way for you to see Caleb before you leave. Today’s not good. We’ve got lots of people over.”

  “I understand. I’m just glad you’re not mad at me,” she replied.

  “Amber, you gave me one of the best gifts I could have ever imagined. I’m not mad. Promise.” Michelle hugged her again. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  “Okay. Bye.” Amber gave her a smile before turning to leave. As she was about to get into the car, she looked back and waved. Then she climbed in, and Michelle watched the Impala disappear around the corner.

  “Michelle! Are you still in here?” Steve’s voice came from the kitchen. “The kids are ready to eat.”

  “I’m coming,” she called back. Taking a deep breath, she checked herself in the mirror near the entryway and said softly, “It’ll be okay. Everything will be okay.” Then she breathed a silent prayer and went into the kitchen.

  “Who was at the door?” Steve asked as they began gathering up the plates and napkins to take outside.

  “I’ll tell you about it later. You called in the pizza order right?”

  “Yep. They’ll be here any minute.”

  Walking out to the backyard, Michelle spotted Caleb poking his head through the bounce house window, a giant grin lighting up his face. And suddenly she saw something she’d never noticed before. He had Amber’s eyes.

  “Time for bed, little man,” Steve said to Caleb as they gathered his new toys to take upstairs.

  “You promised to read me another chapter tonight,” Caleb reminded him.

  “You got it, bud. One more chapter.” Steve replied, following him upstairs.

  Michelle turned to say something to Madison, when she noticed her daughter had iPod wires coming from both ears. “Isn’t that Luke’s iPod?” she asked.

  Madison pulled one ear bud out of her ear. “What?”

  “I said, isn’t that Luke’s?”

  “Yeah. He let me borrow it overnight. I’ll give it back at church tomorrow.”

  “Want to help me finish up in the kitchen?” Michelle asked.

  She shrugged. “Okay.” Then she placed the ear bud back in her ear and followed Michelle into the kitchen.

  They found Sheila and Joan sitting at the breakfast nook. “That was a great party, honey,” Sheila offered.

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “We never had anything like those bounce houses back in my day,” Joan commented. “The kids really had fun in there. And Caleb—he was king of the castle.”

  Michelle smiled. “That’s my boy. Large and in charge.”

  “Well, I think I’ll head upstairs and join your grandfather. It’s been a long day.”

  “If you don’t need my help, I think I’ll get ready for bed, too,” Sheila added with a stretch.

  I love how Mom keeps an eye on Grandma without letting her know. “Sure, Mom. Go ahead. Maddie’s offered to help me.” She gestured toward Madison, who was half dancing to the music in her head as she rinsed some dishes in the sink.

  “That girl is so full of energy,” Joan observed.

  “I think Luke had something to do with that,” Sheila added, winking at Michelle.

  “Stop, Mom.”

  Turning from the dishes, Madison asked, “Did someone say something about Luke?”

  “It was nothing,” Michelle replied, casting a stern look at her mother, who gently led Joan out of the room.

  Steve was sitting on the couch feet stretched out under the coffee table and hands clasped behind his head. When he saw Michelle come into the room, he sat up and patted the seat next to him. “Come sit with me, Mrs. B.”

  Immediately, Amber’s greeting from earlier that day flashed before her. Guess now’s the time to tell him, she thought.

  Snuggling close and pulling her feet up under her, she leaned into his chest and sighed.

  “Big day, huh?” he said.

  “Yeah. Bigger than you know.”

  Steve pulled back a little and looked into her eyes. “What’s up? You seem like something’s bothering you.”

  “It’s Amber, Steve.”

  “Amber?” He looked puzzled. “Amber Gamble?”

  “Yeah. She’s in town.”

  “Whoa. How do you know?” he asked.

  “She came by here today during the party. Remember when you asked who was at the door?”

  “That was Amber?” He sat upright and raked his fingers through his hair. “What did she want?”

  “What do you think? She wanted to see Caleb.”

  Steve looked at her intently. “What did you say?”

  “I told her I had to talk to you first,” she said, and then added, “That blue Impala we’ve been seeing around here—it belongs to her boyfriend. He brought her out.”

  “Did you meet him?”

  “The boyfriend? No. But he was sitting in the car watching us.”

  Steve sighed and slumped back into the cushions. “How did she seem to you?”

  “She seemed okay. A little nervous. She was afraid I’d be mad at her for coming.”

  “Mad?”

  “Yeah. I guess because it might cause us some trouble or something.”

  “What did you tell her?”

  “I told her I wasn’t mad and that she gave us one of the best gifts ever when she gave us Caleb.” Michelle’s voice started to tremble.

  “Hey, come here.” Steve pulled her close and caressed her hair. “I’m not going to let Amber cause any problems with our family. She has no legal right to see Caleb. You know that.”

  “I know. But when I saw her standing there, I felt so bad for her. It was like she was my hurting student all over again.”

  “It’s good that you care so much about people, Michelle. That’s what makes you such a great teacher.” He hesitated before adding, “But Amber left Sandy Cove a total wreck. I’m not about to let her jump into our lives without first knowing her current state of mind and what her motives are for seeing our son.”

  Michelle nodded. “You’re right.” She looked up into his eyes. “So what should we do when she calls tomorrow?”

  “We’ll set up a time and place to meet with her without Caleb. After we see how she’s doing and figure out what she wants, we’ll go from there.”

  “Okay.” Michelle replied, relaxing a little.

  “Church tomorrow. Let’s go to bed.”

  “Good idea,” she agreed. Taking his hand, she trailed him up the stairs.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “Good morning, princess. You’re up early,” Grandpa Phil observed when Michelle came into the kitchen the next morning.

  “Still calling me princess, Grandpa?” She smiled as she poured a cup of coffee her grandfather had brewed.

  “You’ll always be my princess, honey.” He placed a hand over hers as she joined him at the table. “Why the long face?”

  “I didn’t sleep well last night,” she offered with a sigh.

  “Something I can help with?”

  Michelle gazed out the window to collect her thoughts then looked back at him. “Caleb’s birth mother is back in town. She came by yesterday during the party.”

  “I see,” he replied. “I take it she wants to see him.”

  “Yep. She’s calling later today.”

  “And you don’t want her to?”

  “To see him?”

  “Yeah.”

  She took a
deep breath. “I don’t know, Grandpa. What do you think we should do?”

  He sat back in his chair and studied her face. After a few moments, he leaned forward and took Michelle’s hand in both of his. “I think you know my answer. Even in the hard things, God’s got a plan. This is another chance to trust Him with the outcome.” He paused and then added, “You can’t blame a mother’s heart for wanting to see her son.”

  Michelle nodded.

  “You don’t think she’s come to try to take him back, do you?”

  “I doubt it. She seemed more like a nervous school girl than a mother getting ready to battle for her son.”

  Grandpa smiled and patted her hand. “I know this is hard for you, sweetheart, but God has a way of working these things out. You’ve been straight with Caleb all along. He knows he is adopted, and he knows you and Steve love him like he was your own flesh and blood. You have each other, and you always will. But Amber’s been going through this alone. Maybe seeing Caleb and witnessing for herself how well he’s doing will give her some closure she didn’t have when she left.”

  Michelle flashed back in her mind to the day in the NICU when Amber handed tiny Caleb over to her. As if it were yesterday, she could see her young student crumble into her mother’s arms as Stacy and the social worker practically carried her from the unit.

  Grandpa’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “How old is Amber now?”

  Michelle calculated in her mind. “Well, she was fourteen when he was born, so she’s got to be twenty.”

  “Does she still live with her mother? They moved to Arizona, right?”

  “Yeah. I really didn’t think I’d ever see her again,” she admitted. “We didn’t talk about her mom, except that she’s staying a with friend of hers. She came with her boyfriend. They were the ones driving the blue Impala.”

  “Ahhh. I see. So she’s been trying to get up her nerve to come to the door.”

  “Yeah.”

  “What does Steve think?” he asked.

  “He said we should meet with her first, just the two of us. Then we can decide about Caleb.”

  “And you think she’ll be calling today?”

  “Uh huh. I’m guessing sometime this afternoon. She knows we go to church every Sunday.”

  Grandpa nodded. “Okay, let me pray with you before the rest of the gang comes downstairs. Then I’ve got to get back up there and finish getting ready.”

  As he took one of her hands in both of his, she noticed a slight tremor in his grasp. But as he prayed his voice was strong and clear. Like water on parched soil, her spirit soaked in every word.

  “Father, we know you’ve been watching over Amber these past six years. And for whatever reason, she’s found her way back here. We are so thankful for little Caleb and for all he means to us. We know he wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for Amber. Please give Michelle and Steve wisdom as they meet with her. Help them listen to the intent of her heart and lean on You for guidance as they consider her request. I pray that whatever comes of this, it will be an opportunity for Amber to get a glimpse of You, and for Michelle and Steve to be reminded of Your faithfulness. Go before them, God. Don’t let fear be the rudder that steers their ship. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

  “Amen,” Michelle echoed. They stood and embraced each other. “What would I do without you, Gramps?”

  Phil chuckled. “You make this old man feel very loved,” he replied. “Now I’d better get ready for church. I’m eager to hear that young fella, Ben, preach today.”

  As he walked out of the room, Michelle noticed the shuffle in his gait. He turned and gave her a wink, adding, “Everything will be fine, princess. I’m sure of it.”

  The phone was ringing as they walked in the door after church. “I’ll get it,” Madison offered.

  Michelle glanced at Steve. “Let Mom get it,” he instructed. “You and Caleb go get the leftover pizza out of the fridge, and we’ll heat it up for lunch.”

  Joan and Sheila headed upstairs to change clothes as Michelle grabbed the phone. “Hello?”

  “Mrs. B.?”

  “Amber?” From the corner of her eye, Michelle could see her grandfather give her a reassuring smile and a nod.

  “Yeah. It’s me. Is this a good time to call?” she asked.

  “Sure. We just got home from church,” Michelle replied.

  “So, can I come over sometime today? I promise I won’t stay long.”

  “Amber, Steve and I talked last night, and we think it would be better for the two of us to meet you somewhere else first so we can talk.”

  “Oh.” Silence. “Okay, I guess that would be alright.”

  “Could your boyfriend drop you off at the Coffee Stop?” Michelle asked, looking at Steve who nodded in agreement.

  “Uh, yeah. Hold on a sec.”

  Michelle could hear muffled voices, and then Amber was back. “Okay, he said that was fine. What time should I be there?”

  “How about two o’clock?” Michelle suggested. “That will give us time to have lunch and get the kids settled for the afternoon with my mom.

  “Okay. See you at two,” Amber agreed.

  “Mom, we need to talk,” Michelle said, approaching Sheila who was sitting in the backyard after lunch.

  “What is it, Mimi?”

  “You remember Amber Gamble, right?” Michelle asked.

  Sheila’s face clouded. “Yes, I do. Why?”

  “She’s in town, and she wants to see Caleb. She actually came to the front door during his birthday party. It was her boyfriend’s Impala that’s been driving by. Steve and I are going to meet with her this afternoon at the Coffee Stop to talk about her seeing him.”

  “Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.” Sheila’s expression revealed her concern for her daughter.

  “Don’t worry, Mom,” she replied. “Grandpa and I had a good talk about it this morning. He and Steve think everything will be okay.”

  Her mother didn’t look convinced. “Will you let her see him?”

  “Most likely, yes.”

  “You aren’t going to tell him who she is, are you?” A shadow fell across her mother’s countenance.

  “Probably not. He’s pretty young to process that.”

  “Yeah. That’s right.”

  “So anyway, we need to leave here around quarter ‘til two to go meet her. Are you okay with the kids while we’re gone?”

  “Of course. We’ll be fine. They pretty much take care of themselves these days,” she replied.

  Michelle smiled. “Until they get into a scuffle over something.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll be ready to referee if need be. Before you leave, maybe you could suggest some quiet activities for them to do while you’re gone. I’m sure your grandparents will end up taking a siesta about that time.”

  “No problem. We’ll give them explicit directions to keep the noise down,” Michelle promised. “And Mom,” she added.

  “Yes?”

  “Thanks. Thanks for all your help. It’s been great having you here with us. I’m really glad you decided to settle in Sandy Cove.”

  Sheila patted her arm. “Me, too, honey.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  As Steve and Michelle pulled into the parking lot of the Coffee Stop, they could see the blue Impala near the entrance. Michelle glanced at the clock on the dash. 1:55. “Wonder how long she’s been here,” she said.

  “Well, we’re not late. Let’s just go in and get this over with,” Steve suggested.

  Amber and her boyfriend were sitting at a table in the corner. When she looked up, Michelle forced a smile and waved. The two stood and approached them.

  “Mrs. B, this is Chad,” Amber said, gesturing to her companion.

  Michelle extended her hand, and Chad rubbed his on his jeans before grasping hers in a nervous handshake. “Nice to meet you,” she said.

  “Likewise,” the young man replied.

  “Chad, I’m Steve Baron, Michelle’s husband.” They exchanged hand
shakes before Steve turned to Amber. “Amber, we’d like to talk to you alone first, if that’s okay with you.”

  “Sure. No problem,” she replied.

  “I’ll just wait on the bench outside,” Chad offered, reaching over and picking up his coffee.

  After he’d left, Michelle and Amber sat down, and Steve went to get coffee for him and Michelle, offering a cup to Amber as well, who thanked him but declined.

  “So how’s your mom these days?” Michelle asked while she waited for Steve.

  “She’s doing okay. Better than before.” Amber stared down at her hands, playing with a ring she was wearing on her left hand.

  “Is that an engagement ring?”

  Amber looked flustered. “Oh. No. We aren’t engaged.”

  “I figured you two must be pretty serious for Chad to drive you all the way to Oregon,” Michelle offered.

  “Yeah. I guess you’d say that. We’ve been living together for a while.”

  Michelle tried not to wince. She’d really hoped the time Amber had spent with them at church had given her a new perspective on how to live her life. She just hoped Chad wasn’t a repeat of Caleb’s biological father, Adam.

  As if reading her mind, Amber chimed in, “Chad’s really a great guy, Mrs. B. He takes good care of me, and we get along really well. He says maybe we’ll get married in a few years. When we’re older and both have good jobs.”

  Before Michelle could go deeper into a discussion about Amber’s living situation, Steve returned with the coffee.

  “So tell us, Amber—what made you decide to come out here to see Caleb?” he asked.

  She glanced over at Michelle, who added, “It’s okay. We’re not upset or anything. We just want to understand.”

  “Well, I guess there are several things,” the girl began. “First, of course, I think about Caleb all the time, especially this time of year…” Her voice trailed off as she looked into space.

  “His birthday,” Michelle added.