Licking her lips, Caroline pushed the food around on her plate. She had been hungry when they first sat down, but the arrival of the unannounced visitor outside had stolen her appetite away.
Watching the other woman fidget, Candy herself grew uneasy. “I’m sure it’s someone from the office,” she reassured. “This isn’t the first back-porch meeting that Gary has had since he started working at his family’s business,” she grinned.
“They stop by often?” Caroline tried to sound up beat.
“Yeah, they’re related, so they don’t see any harm in blending home and work; all one big happy family,” Candice breathed.
“Gary’s family has been very good to us,” Lanelle interrupted, indicating the back door with her fork.
“That’s true,” Candy nodded, then reached over to help Daks by chopping up his lasagna better. “I’m not complaining.”
“That’s sweet,” Caroline muttered, thinking about her previous dealings with the Ford clan. She had made a young and foolish mistake with Gary, one that had come to trouble her deeply over the years.
Caroline had been working for Benjamin Monroe for about six months when Gary had first asked her out. Instantly taken with the idea of hanging on his arm and being part of his luxurious life, she had eagerly accepted, and their relationship had turned physical in a matter of days. Of course, the party had been over after only a few weeks, and it would have ended there if she hadn’t refused to let him go so easily.
Rather than bow out gracefully, Caroline had tried to force Gary to continue seeing her. Informing him that she was pregnant had held them together for an additional couple of months, and she had tried vigorously to conceive during that time. In the end, she had been unable to accomplish her goal, and he had broken things off for good when he discovered the truth about her condition.
Things had been strained between Gary and herself ever since. If Eve held a grudge, it didn’t show, but Caroline could feel the cold vibe any time that Gerald or his father were in the same room. She sighed at the recollection of how things had turned out, and a moment of regret at having asked him for help washed over her.
“Are you ok?” Candy interrupted her thoughts.
“I’m fine,” Caroline lied. “It’s been a rough few weeks. I just need some rest.”
“Let me show you to your room,” Candy offered, getting to her feet. “Mom can take care of washing Daks up, and I’ll polish off of the dishes when I come back down.”
Picking up her suitcase from the living room where she had left it, Caroline followed the lady of the house up the stairs to the first bedroom at the top of the stairs. Inside, she looked around at the simple décor. “It’s nice,” she offered, placing her bag on the foot of the bed.
“The bathroom is in here,” Candy opened the portal to indicate the lavatory. “Dakota’s room is on the other side, so you may want to lock his door when you use it. Wouldn’t want him giving you any surprises,” she giggled.
“No, we wouldn’t. I’ll be sure to do that,” Caroline agreed while opening her pack and sorting through her things nervously. “I wanted to thank you, Candy. I appreciate your letting me stay here and for giving me a job.”
Smiling in earnest for the first time since her arrival, the shorter girl nodded, “I’m glad you’re here. I know I made a fuss, but I really could use the help.”
“You’re going to school, right?”
“Yeah, this is my third semester, and I’m still trying to get a straight-A report card!”
“What are you taking?” Caroline relaxed, pulling out a few items and selecting a drawer to place them in.
“I want to be a physical therapist,” Candy beamed. “I’m knee deep in basics, right now, but soon I’ll be able to apply to some programs.”
“Did you choose that because of Dakota?”
Her smiled lessened, Candy paused, unsure of how to respond. “I guess I did,” she confessed. “He’s a special child. He has needs that make him unique.” She swallowed hard, not wanting to delve into how her own shortcomings had led to his birth; and his unfortunate condition. “It’s not something I’m ready to share with you,” she stated calmly.
“I understand,” Caroline smiled, looking over at her new friend. “We all have things in our past that we don’t like to talk about. Things that we’ve done or that have happened to us. Life isn’t always… sweet.”
Candy nodded slowly, confident that their new care-giver understood. Hearing the back door close below, she grinned, “I’ll leave you to your unpacking. Have a warm bath and get some sleep, and I’ll fill you in on our routine in the morning.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Caroline gave her a small wave as Candy closed the door.
Clomping down the stairs, she arrived to find that her mother had removed the boy and had him in the bath tub in her quarters off of the kitchen. Listening to the pair of them for a moment at the door, she sighed; they both seemed unaffected by the arrival of Caroline, which could be a good thing.
Gary sat at the table, watching his wife while he ate. “Did you get her settled in?”
“Yeah, she’s in my old room. I guess she’s going to be ok; Daks seems to like her well enough. I know mom does.”
“Of course they do,” he chortled, folding his hands. “She’s going to be a great nanny.”
“Yup,” Candy agreed, taking plates and scraping the scraps into the trash before placing them in the dishwasher. “This year, we’re going to have a quiet, uneventful Christmas.”
Gulping down a few swigs of tea between bites, Gary hoped his wife was right about that, but if his conversation with Ben had been any indication, they were in for one hell of a ride.