Miracle Walk (The Designed Love Series Book 2) Page 7

  They rushed out of the room. Jenni carrying Pugsley in her arms—the dog was a whiner if it wasn’t getting everyone’s full attention. “Yes, this pizza is for everyone, but I wanted to say a few words first. The Vet Hospital should also be getting their delivery of pizza right now,” I answered there questioning gazes.

  Jerry scratched his head under his Bark Village Hat. “This isn’t like you to be all cryptic.”

  “Hmm—well first, the Lord be with you!”

  “The Lord bless you!” they answered. Ruthie looked around before saying the same thing.

  I went over to the water cooler and poured myself some water and brought over three more cups for them. Placing Jenni’s on the counter beside her. “I have to make a toast! To the most hardworking people in the business. This has been a tumultuous journey for me. It slowed down after my opening, but it continued for you, and your efforts were not only noticed but appreciated.” I raised the styrofoam cup in my hand to them. And the others did the same.

  Jerry clutched his hat over his heart. “Gee, boss you’re going to make me cry.”

  I waved him off. “Jerry’s just being modest. I sing his praises all the time. He’s an important part of the team and he knows it.”

  As Jerry went back into the storage closet to pull out a foldable table. Everyone else went about turning this into a real appreciatory celebration. Jenni put on a little jazz music over the computer speakers. After closing all the doors so that she could let Pugsley run freely.

  I brought over two chairs from the dog’s play park and set it down next to the table. “Here you are, Ruthie. Come over here and grab a slice of pizza and some garlic bread. It is an extra-large.”

  She sat down and everyone ate there fill. Even when Mrs. McCarthy showed up to interrupt, I told everyone to stay seated and delivered Pugsley to her. Pugsley was patiently waiting underneath the table for someone to accidentally drop a sausage on the floor.

  “You didn’t give her any pizza did you?”

  “Of course not, Mrs. McCarthy not only is she not my dog, but I’m also a vet,” I smiled, as I handed her over Pugsley’s leash.

  “Well, you don’t have to get smart about it.”

  “Let me walk you to your car it is getting pretty late out.” I returned to find Ruthie picking up the bouquets and smelling each of them. I snuck up behind her and said, “Those are yours you know.”

  She turned and looked at me in shock. “Well, yours and Naomis, I mean. You can tell her that I remembered that she likes red roses.”

  I looked back at the others who pretended not to be watching us. “I didn’t mention Ruthie earlier because she just started, but you know my motto. Everyone counts. So Ruthie will be taking over as the receptionist while Miss Dobson is out.” I also ordered them to, “Treat her like one of the family and show her the ropes. After Miss Dobson’s return, she will be officially hired on as the dog walker.”

  They both clapped, Jerry uttering, “Welcome to the family.”

  10

  Ruthie

  “You going to be okay from here?” Jenni asked, being gracious enough to walk me back after I had forgotten in which way we had come. To chicken to ask one of the guys for help since they were also my bosses. “I normally dip off around the corner here.” Pointing to an alley between two houses.

  “Yeah, sure it’s only another block. But thanks for everything.”

  She nodded and jogged across the street, in a hurry to get back to her kids. What a great problem to have? I thought. Turning back to the hotel and picking up my phone to call Naomi. I didn’t want to go all the way upstairs to find out she was somewhere else.

  “Hello Mara, speaking. Formerly Phoebe.”

  I frowned. No matter the circumstance, Naomi was always filled with joy. It was one of the things I loved about her. Now it looks like I will never experience that part of her again. “I’m on my way back. Are you upstairs?”

  “No, I’m in the living room. You can’t miss me we are sitting in front of a roaring fire.”

  I hung up the phone. We must mean that Jia is there as well. I wondered if Naomi was able to get out and do some sightseeing without me or if she had been confined to her room. The bed and breakfast were quite cozy alight in the warm glow of the fire. Naomi and Jia sat on the couches clutching two coffee cups in hand. I joined them and sat in the armchair, noticing that a green wreath and been placed above the hearth. Potted sunflowers on either side of the brick fireplace for just the right amount of summer colors.

  Once upon a time, this had been Naomi’s favorite time of year. Was she now going to tell me that it was winter? Because it’s cold and dreary like her life.

  Jia peeled herself off the couch, looking as if she never wanted to leave it. “I’m going to give you two a moment alone.” She went over and squeezed my shoulder as she filed past me to her office. Closing the door behind her, but I knew that it was a possibility that she could still hear everything that we were saying.

  “What did you do today?”

  “Nothing just stayed inside. I only came down twenty minutes ago and decided to sit with Jia and do some more catching up.” She took a sip from her drink. “But enough about me. You’re the one with the good news. What is this job at Bark Village you said.”

  As far as I knew, I was filling in for Miss Dobson this weekend excluding Sunday and possibly the week after that as well for receptionist duties. The only reason I didn’t work Sunday was because they’re closed. I thought that would be good news considering that Naomi loved going to church on Sundays and spending the day with friends and family in fellowship with God. But I hated the idea of her being left alone during the week in that room all by herself.

  “Why didn’t you go out?” I placed the aluminum foil wrapped pizza on the table. It was still a little warm.

  “There was no need.” She seemed to be avoiding my gaze. “In fact, I had quite a lovely time upstairs in my room in the quiet.”

  My mouth dropped open. “What about seeing family? Or revisiting the old hangouts.”

  “I still remember those hangouts, and it’s probably better in my mind anyway. As for family, I’ll get around to seeing everyone. Need not to be today.” She reached for the aluminum wrapped pizza that I had sat down. “Where did you get this? Is it any good?”

  She was the master of changing the subject. But in spite of what she felt now, she needed family, especially since I would be going back to work. I didn’t want to find her alone in her room, nursing a broken heart to death. And I meant that literally. It turned my stomach just to imagine it. “We can change the subject so long as you promise to call someone tomorrow to have coffee or tea with. Invite them over.”

  Naomi shook her head. “Even if I did what exactly do you think would come of it? People have to work and have lives of there own. No one can simply drop everything to have coffee with me. And so much the better. You don’t always have to run towards something to be content. Remember I talk you that.”

  Under normal circumstances, it might even be considered good advice. Why then did it seem like if she stopped running, she’d stop walking too.

  I expelled a weary sigh. “The pizza is what’s left over after my employer through a surprise impromptu pizza party for everyone.”

  She grabbed the pizza slice and took a huge bite. Making noises indicating that she was clearly enjoying herself. “So where did you get the flowers? Where is this work of yours? Blessed be the man that noticed you!”

  “It’s not like that. As I said this morning I ran into Jenni a dog walker and she looked like she was in need of help. So I followed her all the way back to her place of employment. Where the receptionist son had suddenly come down with a case of Chicken Pox and had to run out. So I begged the manager to let me stay and help out.”

  “Well that was sweet of you and good thinking,” she nibbled on the crust of the pizza, before biting into her second piece. “So how else did you spend your day?”

  �
�Mostly playing with the dogs until their owners arrived to pick them up. But then the owner came in. When I first saw him I thought him one of the pet owners. Until Jenni pointed him out and he wanted to speak to me. During our meeting, he offered me a job as a dog walker. But for the time being, I’ll be filling in for the receptionist while she’s out taking care of her son. The owner’s name is Boaz.” I rubbed my hands together towards the fire. A chill coming in through the open door.

  “The Lord bless him!”

  “He seemed to know you and wanted me to give you these red roses. The pink ones are for me,” I said, handing her the bouquet.

  “Boaz has not stopped showing his kindness to the living or the dead.” She added, “That man is one of our close relatives, and is looked upon as our guardian-redeemer.”

  I bent down to smell the roses still in her hands. It had been a long time since I smelled fresh cut roses that weren’t for a funeral. “Well, he even told the others at work to treat me like family and show me the ropes.”

  “It will be good for you, my daughter to work with the people he employs because anywhere else you might be taken advantage of,” Naomi said to me. Reaching out to touch my hand.

  “I wasn’t planning on keeping the job. I haven’t looked up prices of homes or apartments in the area, but I can’t imagine a dog walking salary to be enough. But I thought it might be a good stepping stone for the time being. I just have to remind myself that God has a plan for us.”

  She snatched her hand away from mine and I looked up a bit startled. “Why would it even matter? He’s taken our family from us. They were my world, Ruthie.” She got up and closed the front door. Returning to the warm fire. “If he has a plan I don’t care to know it.”

  “God will bring us through this difficult time. If we merely keep our hearts open to him. I know how hard that can be at times, but I also know what a relief it can be.”

  Naomi shook her head. “I don’t think I can believe in him again. Even when I did, that time seems so far away now.”

  “You were the one who convinced me of his divine glory.” The plastic wrap around the roses crinkling in my arms. “Now you’re telling me that it was all a mistake.”

  “You didn’t get off work just for me to upset you,” she said getting up to kiss me on my forehead before handing me back the flowers. “Why don’t you go upstairs and see about putting these in water. If there are no vases just call downstairs for Jia and request some.” My footsteps clicked across the hardwood floors as I made my way over to the stairs. “What are you going to do?”

  “Stay down here and refresh my cup.” She got up and walked back towards the kitchen.

  Inside our room, I gazed around the 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom flat for a vase. I only found one and ended up calling down to Jia for another.

  She brought it up post haste and seemed prepared to say something more, but I cut her off and excused myself. Sluggishly placing the clear vase next to the red one, I had found for Naomi’s flowers and stuck in my pink ones. Discarding the plastic in a small garbage can underneath the table.

  I pulled out my phone and crawled into bed. Searching for my photos for the selfie that Kohen photobombed by kissing me on the cheek. Our former dog, Windy in my arms, a husky and border collie mix. It was taken in better times at a dog park in Chicago. Before death knew our name and moved into our house. My husband had asked a stranger passing by to take the next picture. Of us cuddled up in each other’s arm in a kiss. I wanted to be back in that park.

  I placed the phone down and stared up at the ceiling. “I’m sorry, mom. I just can’t believe that God doesn’t care. I just can’t.”

  11

  Boaz

  That evening, I settled into my favorite brown leather couch in the basement and turned on ESPN. Thoughts of Ruthie in my head like a highlight reel. White Christmas lights twinkling against the ceiling. The commentator’s white noise as I stared at the blue light on the cable box. He ran his hands over the rubber buttons on the remote, careful not to press any of them. With heavy thoughts about Ruthie, and whether helping her was the right thing or not, I reached for the worn Bible in the storage section of the couch. For forty-five years, this book had sat in my father’s lap, well worn with yellow highlights and pen notes in the margins.

  I opened the bible to my favorite verse in Colossians: Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. After my wife Tracy died in that car accident, I meditated on these words daily and came to the conclusion that perhaps my family was on to something when they joked and called me the redeemer of the family. Maybe it should even be extended to the town as a whole? I trusted the Lord. And he saved me. But why was I now struggling with this women?

  I closed the Bible and turned on the DVD player.

  The DVD began to play automatically. His heart melted at the sight of Tracy as she came across the screen. Dressed in a long white lace maxi dress. She brushed a strand of her red hair from her eyes as the videographer gestured to us that he was ready.

  With one sweeping movement, I had lifted her into my arms. I nuzzled her neck and inhaled her flowery perfume. She threw her head back and laughed for me to be serious. It was our baby reveal after all. He didn’t have to watch the video to know that the small toy boat behind them would light up blue after she hit it with the arrow. She was obsessed with Lord of the Rings and wanted here baby reveal video to coincide with something you would see out of the movie.

  I kissed her plump cheeks and set her down. “Alright, let’s get this show on the road.”

  She bent down to pick up the bow and arrows at her feet. “Hey, now mister. We only get one take at this. So don’t rush the artistry. I’m worried that it won’t set fire.”

  There was nothing I wouldn’t have done for her. She was the love of my life. “I think if it doesn’t set fire. I’m going to wade out into that pond and do it myself.”

  She scrunched up her nose and frowned. “It’s not going to be the same.”

  I stared at her with wide, innocent eyes. “No, but instead of Lord of the Rings we can call it Godzilla.”

  It amazed me even now how beautiful she was. When we had gotten married he was still a boy, living in the moment without ever stopping to appreciate what I had. I ran my hands through her long beach waves. “Me, mighty warrior. You elf princess.”

  She looked at me wryly trying to hold back a laugh. “No one in the movie sounds like that Boaz.”

  The man in charge beckoned for us to get into position. I moved to stand behind her. My hand instinctively finding its way to her stomach. Briefly wondering if I should be the one hurling the bow. “You sure you got this. I can do it if it’s too hard. Just take a deep breath,” I mumbled in her ear, “and let it fly.”

  The toy boat burst into flame, and a few short minutes later blue smoke filled the air. I picked her up and twirled her around. It would have been really nice to meet him.

  * * *

  “You texted me that there had been a slight change in plans,” Ruthie said to me as I got out of my car and walked into Bark Village Dog Walking Service. She unbuttoned her sweater looking like she had only gotten there a few minutes before me.

  I was certainly surprised to see her all bright eyed and bushy tailed the next morning. My breath hitched at the sight of her as if I hadn’t just seen her last night.

  “It was pretty easy walking over here from the hotel.” She continued looking unsure if she should even bother to take off her sweater.

  I sauntered towards her, wearing my scrubs and a snarky smile. “You’ve only been in town what three days. I would’ve thought you would still be on vacation time.” I stood next to the counter and leaned over on my right elbow resting my palm under my chin.

  She began to blush. “Well, its still my first day and I wanted to make a great impression.”

  “Which is why I feel really bad fo
r what I’m going to say next.” I rubbed my unshaven chin.

  She adjusted the sweater on her shoulder needlessly. “Which is?”

  I tilted my head. “After you left me and Jerry had a long talk and I increased some of the duties around here, but he also seemed confident that he could run the front desk in addition to the extra work. So I’m going to give him that chance.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “So does that mean I start as a dog walker then?”

  “No. Not exactly. If you’re open to it I was thinking that you might come help me in the vet hospital as my assistant. It is across town. So I’d have to drive you over and drop you back off here or your hotel whichever you prefer. But I certainly don’t mind, and it is more pay.”

  “I don’t think that you should be just handing me a job.”

  I leaned in closer. “I’m not. In fact, we’re here this early so that we could talk a bit about your resume, and where you would fit best.”

  “Oh, I didn’t mean to imply—”

  He held up his hand. “It’s fine. Let’s take this to my office.” Going around her to forward the calls from the front desk to my office phone. I cut on the light in my office and she shook her head.

  “Unfortunately, I don’t have any veterinary experience. I did own a dog, but not sure how much that would actually help in a veterinary hospital setting.”

  “Well, just to give you some background information. It was Jerry’s former position, and he did play a dual role as manager and nursing assistant, but in looking for his replacement I’m primarily focused on the office aspect. I prefer to be in the trenches with the animals as much as I can, instead of stuck behind a desk.”

  “That I’m used to. One of those necessary evils back at my former job with DCFS in Chicago. I was a social worker and do have a degree in Sociology.”

  I leaned back in my chair. “Impressive. How long were you doing that?”