Cole was just finishing tightening the last nut on the tricycle. TJ was waiting next to him, the excitement showing in his little face. He was practically jumping up and down in anticipation.
Cole smiled as he flipped the trike right side up and set it on its wheels. “Okay, son. It’s all yours.”
TJ shrieked with glee and scrambled on. He peddled off to chase after his sister, who was already riding around.
Cole had told him ladies first and watched TJ’s little lip come out in a pout as he had to wait for Cole to assemble his sister’s bike first.
Cole squatted, watching his children race in circles around the driveway. A feeling of contentment filled him. These two meant the world to him.
He stood up. Natalie had let him know that she and Angel were on their way. A million questions had raced through his mind. Had Angel read his letter? Had she said anything? Were they coming just to take the kids back to Arizona or something more? All of which, he’d been too afraid to ask. And Natalie had said nothing that gave him any indication how this was all going to go, which made him fear for the worst.
Cole took a deep breath. The ball was in her court. There wasn’t anything else he could do. He knew Natalie wanted him to talk to Angel when they got here, but to tell the truth, Cole wasn’t sure he had anything left to say. She either wanted him or she didn’t. He’d be damned if he’d stand here and beg.
Hell, he’d already made a damn fool of himself in that hospital room. Pleading with her. At least there had only been one nurse to witness it. He’d never begged anyone for anything in his life, and he didn’t like the way it made him feel.
Besides, if he had to beg her for her to love him was it really a love worth having? Cole shook his head. He didn’t even know anymore.
He pulled out his cell phone and looked at the time. They needed to leave soon for the clubhouse. The charity run that was to take place today started in a couple of hours.
He needed to get the guest of honor there in plenty of time. Melissa’s Ride, they’d named it. Cole still couldn’t believe all the work everyone had done to make this happen. Natalie had been on the phone with Mack numerous times since she’d left, helping him make arrangements. In addition to the money they collected from today’s ride, they hoped to get some donors. This morning, all across the state of California as well as several other states, charters were going to be showing up at donor centers to be tested. He hoped they got a good turn out.
Rusty from the War Dogs had stopped by yesterday to let him know that the War Dogs would all be showing their support as well. Cole had choked up, and in the end had only been able to shake Rusty’s hand and slap him on the back.
Cole watched his kids ride around. He hated to break up the fun, but he needed to get them ready to go. He’d been assured that there would be plenty of activities today for the kids—balloons, face painting, a clown, and a jumping house. He’d even heard the local news wanted to come out and do a story on Melissa’s Ride. Wouldn’t that be something?
***
Natalie and Angel pulled off the interstate around dinnertime. They’d been driving all day and were ready to stop for the night. There were several motel chains to choose from at this exit.
After getting checked in, Natalie drove the SUV around and parked it in front of the room they’d paid for. They both climbed out of the vehicle and stretched. Angel turned and opened the rear passenger door.
Natalie opened the one behind the driver’s seat and leaned in. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Angel looked up at her with a frown as she reached for her bag. “I’m getting my bag.”
“Oh no, you’re not. I’ll get it. I know you think you’re perfectly healed now, but you don’t need to be lifting anything yet.”
“Natalie, the doctor said I’m fine. It’s been weeks. It’s healed.”
“Nevertheless, I’ll get the bags. Here.” She reached across the seat and handed Angel the room key. “Go open the door.”
“Yes, ma’am. Boy, you sure have become bossy lately.”
“It’s my new persona. Get used to it.”
They entered the room, and Natalie set their bags down. “I’m beat.”
“Me, too.”
“I don’t even feel like going out for food,” Natalie added.
“Maybe we could have a pizza delivered,” Angel suggested.
“Sounds perfect.”
Angel fell back on one of the beds and stared at the ceiling. Tomorrow she would see her children again, and Cole. She wondered how that would go. Would he be happy to see her or cold and distant? She was betting on the latter.
Natalie checked her watch, picked up the television remote and turned it on. She flipped through the channels. They had crossed the California state line and the local channels were all California stations. She kept flipping until she found the one she was looking for. It was a newscast from a station broadcasting out of San Jose.
“Angel, look!” Natalie exclaimed excitedly.
Angel rolled her head on the mattress to see what she was looking at. What she saw had her sitting up, stunned. Staring back at her from the television was a close-up of Melissa smiling and waving at the camera, her face painted with flowers on her cheek. Angel looked at the screen, dumbfounded. “Why…why is my baby on TV?”
The camera zoomed out, and Angel could now see a reporter holding a microphone and talking to the camera. What she saw in the background made Angel move closer to the screen. The reporter was standing in the parking lot of Cole’s clubhouse. Angel would recognize the two-story redbrick building anywhere, even if she hadn’t seen the rows of bikes parked in the lot. But in this shot there were some things she’d never expected to see at that location. Some things so out of place, it was laughable. Her eyes took in an inflated jumping house, a clown making balloon animals, kids running around with cotton candy… What was going on?
She listened intently as the reporter described the event that had taken place earlier that day, the first Leukemia charity run called Melissa’s Ride, named after the daughter of one of the club’s members.
Angel’s mouth dropped open.
She watched as they cut to footage of the run, showing hundreds of bikes heading out for the ride. Then it cut to a shot of Melissa, Cole, and TJ sitting at the collection table. The reporter was talking about the money raised, and then the story cut to another reporter who was standing in front of a medical center and was interviewing one of the personnel. Angel listened as the director of the center’s bone marrow donation program explained how they had been overwhelmed with members of this club showing up to be tested as possible donors. The director was telling the reporter how centers all across three states had been seeing the same thing today, and that she had never seen anything like it in all her years as director.
Angel watched as they cut back to the reporter standing live at the clubhouse. The camera zoomed out, and Angel saw Mack standing next to the reporter. She began interviewing him about the event. He was saying how he wanted to thank a special someone who helped him organize today’s event, Melissa’s aunt, Natalie.
Angel looked over at Natalie. She was looking at Mack on the screen and smiling like he was talking directly to her. “You…you knew about this?”
Natalie looked over at Angel and nodded, tears in her eyes. “It looks like it went very well. I’m sorry we weren’t there for it.”
Angel got up from the bed, walked over, and hugged her aunt. “Thank you.” Tears filled her eyes.
“Maybe…maybe we’ll be there for next year’s event?” Natalie pulled back, looking hopefully into Angel’s eyes.
***
There was now a chain link gate at the end of the drive that Cole had installed so the kids could play without him worrying they would get out into the street. The kids were both riding their new tricycles around the driveway. Cole was out in the driveway in front of the garage, where he was changing plugs on his bike.
He was bent down next to the bike, but he was still keeping an eye on the kids. They were racing each other back and forth from where Cole was, up the long drive, down to the gate, and back again.
Angel and Natalie pulled up to the house. Natalie looked over and saw Angel studying the quiet, tree-lined neighborhood and the house with the white picket fence. She smiled and murmured the same words that Cole had said to her not too long ago, “Not what you expected?”
Angel looked over at her and shook her head.
Natalie pulled off the street and stopped at the gate.
Cole heard the car engine and glanced up just as they were getting out of the vehicle. They approached the gate, and Cole rose slowly to his feet, dropping the rag in his hand. He watched as they opened the gate and entered. The metal clanged as they shut it. About that time, TJ and Melissa looked up and spotted their mother. Cole watched as they scrambled off their bikes and ran to her.
Angel dropped to her knees and gathered them in her arms, holding them close.
Cole stood motionless, watching.
TJ broke from his mother’s hug, turned to his father and yelled down the length of the driveway to him, “Daddy, Mommy’s home!”
“I see that, son,” Cole whispered. He wondered why he suddenly found it hard to remember to breathe. He watched as Angel slowly stood, her gaze finding him. Then she pushed the children toward Natalie, who hugged them fiercely, and Angel started walking toward Cole.
Here it comes, Cole thought. Would she be angry with him for taking the children? He tried to read her body language. She was still a bit too far away for him to clearly read her facial expression. Was she here to take the children away from him and back to Arizona? Or something more? Cole was afraid to hope. He took in a deep, shaky breath, trying to prepare himself for the worst.
She got about halfway down the drive, and then something he never expected happened. She began running to him. Cole was stunned, but he had the good sense to open his arms as she vaulted herself into them. Her arms came around his neck and suddenly he found himself holding her tightly to him.
His eyes slid closed. Thank you, God.
It was all he could do to whisper the words in her ear, “You better come running.”