Dakota Love (58 page)

Caroline turned back to Walt. “I understand you’ve started a new hobby during your recovery.” She lifted an eyebrow.

“I know I told you all that Mark shouldn’t learn to sew because it wasn’t manly. But I was wrong. Although I didn’t really sew—I just adhered the pieces of the quilt puzzle to make a picture. Lil here did all the sewing.” Walt pulled a folded piece of fabric from his pocket and held it out to Caroline. “Thought you might want to see it.”

“It’s lovely. Good job, you two. At first the appliqué stitch wasn’t my favorite, but after a couple of quilts, I think I’ve perfected it.” Caroline handed the block back to Lil.

The jangle of the door alarm sounded, alerting Mark. “I’d better go see if those are customers or some of Caroline’s students.”

“I’d better get back to work, too, before the boss fires me.” Sarah fluffed her short dark bangs with her fingers and giggled.

“Walt”—Lil tugged her fingers free—“I need to pick up some thread while I’m here.”

“Okay. I feel a little tired.”

Lil’s eyes widened. “I don’t have to get it today.”

Walt held up a hand to shush her. “I just need to sit awhile. I’ll stay back here and visit with Caroline until her class arrives.”

He watched Lil walk out of the door.
Thank You, God
. Walt had been racking his brain over how to get rid of Lil so he could be alone with Caroline. God’s hand was definitely on Walt today.

“She’s very special, isn’t she?”

Walt continued to watch Lil through the wall window, making sure she didn’t change her mind and return to the workroom. “I think so.”

“I can tell. In all the years I’ve known you, I’ve never seen you radiate happiness the way you have today.”

As Lil turned toward the thread section, Walt turned to Caroline. “We need to talk.”

“You know, homemade soup does taste better than canned.” Walt pushed his bowl toward the center of the table.

Lil arched her eyebrow at him. “That’s because the ingredients are fresh. Are you ready for dessert?”

“I’ll get it. You’ve been waiting on me for weeks.”

On his way back to the table, a cake pan and knife in hand, Walt bent to see out of the kitchen window. “Looks like we have company.”

You have company
. “Who is it?” Lil sipped her coffee.

“Sandy. I wonder what she wants.” Walt set the pan and knife on the table and walked to the door.

“I’m guessing her Crock-Pot.” Lil stifled a little growl of frustration. After the funeral luncheon, she’d hoped to avoid any further interaction with Sandy.

Walt opened the door before Sandy could knock. His visitor shuffled her feet on the rug to clear the moisture from her boots.

“Hi. I dropped by to pick up my Crock-Pot. I’d have been here sooner, but the weather kept me a shut-in.” She stepped out of the way so Walt could close the door.

“Would you like some cake and coffee? Lil and I had a late lunch.”

Please be in a hurry to get somewhere and say no
. Lil knew her thought was unkind, but it was due to self-preservation. If she could get out of town before Sandy figured out how she knew her, then Lil would never have to fall under Walt’s scrutiny.

“That would be great. I developed a bad case of cabin fever.” Sandy slipped into a chair. “Good thing I have unlimited minutes on my cell phone plan. During that storm, I called every friend and relative I have. Which reminds me…” Sandy looked at Lil.

Lil tried to keep her face expressionless as fear cut through her body. “I’ll get another dessert plate.” Her legs wobbled when she stood.

“I’ll get it.” Walt started for the cupboard.

“I’ll get it.” Fear boomed Lil’s words out louder and snottier than she’d meant them.

Walt’s head snapped around and he frowned.

“Sorry.” Lil apologized out of the corner of her mouth as she speed-walked past Walt. Placing her hands on the countertop in front of the cupboards, Lil tried to regain her composure.

Sandy didn’t seem to notice Lil’s small fear-driven ruckus because their visitor continued on. “I finally figured out how I know you. I was talking to my sister.”

Lil’s stomach twisted.

“I was telling her about Walt’s surgery, and of course your name came up.”

Lil’s shoulders sagged.

“She couldn’t believe it.”

Lil’s pulse pounded through her ears, muffling Sandy’s words. Sweat began to bead on her forehead and she bit her upper lip.

“She asked me to give you her phone number so you two can catch up.”

“You know Sandy’s sister?” Walt’s question came from the center of the room, about where she’d passed him.

“Small world, isn’t it?” Sandy kept rambling, unaware that Lil was frozen to the floor like Walt’s plaster deer in the yard. However, the tone of Walt’s question and his approaching footsteps alerted Lil that he knew something was wrong.

“How do you know Sandy’s sister?” Walt stood beside Lil now, his arms crossed over his chest.

“I couldn’t believe it when my brain finally made the connection.” Sandy laughed. “Of course, I knew why you didn’t recognize me. I was just a kid back then, and of course, I had married, so you’d never put the last name with it.”

Lil had to stop this conversation. Her hand shaking, she grabbed the dessert plate, turned away from Walt, and walked over to the table.

She sliced through the cake so hard the pan slid across the slick tabletop. If she could just get Sandy’s mouth full of cake, she might have a chance to salvage this conversation. Turn it around. By the time Sandy left, Walt might forget about this thread of the conversation.

She scooped a generous piece of cake onto a plate and shoved it at Sandy.

“So do you want her number?” Sandy lifted her fork.

“Um…sure.” Lil tried to sound happy to reconnect with Sandy’s sister.

Walt’s hand engulfed her shaky one that was wrapped around the knife.

“I don’t believe I want cake right now. So you know Sandy’s sister.” Walt lifted her chin, but she kept her gaze lowered.

“Know her? They were inseparable back then.” The tines of Sandy’s fork scrapped across the china plate, granting Lil a small reprieve as their visitor lifted a bit of cake to her lips. Then Sandy lowered it. “They even got arrested together.”

“Arrested?” Walt’s voice boomed with surprise and sounded much like Lil’s normal tone.

Lil finally lifted her eyes at Walt’s astonishment.

“For what?” Walt may have asked the question, but the stern set of his jaw and narrowed eyes told Lil that he already knew the answer.

Lil prayed Sandy would choose this moment to take a bite of cake.

“For throwing rocks at soldiers during a war protest,” Sandy said before inserting the bite of cake into her mouth.

A sob caught in Lil’s throat as Sandy’s words registered and settled into Walt’s thoughts. Hurt flared in his eyes just before they turned into narrow slits catching her in the sights of his anger.

Her rigid legs muscles began to shake and she lowered herself to a chair before she fell down.

“They were quite a pair,” Sandy continued between bites.

“Sandy.” Walt’s hoarse voice cut through her one-sided conversation.

“Oh, sorry. I guess I’m rambling on. What’s new with you two?”

Walt leaned against the counter, extending his legs to trap Lil in the corner.

“Went to the doctor today. Almost have a clean bill of health.”

Sandy clapped her hands together. “Oh, that’s wonderful!”

Senses returning, Lil scooted the pan toward Sandy. “Would you like more cake?”

Walt’s anger was apparent in his stance and the set of his jaw. She needed to buy time. Think of an excuse.
“And the truth will set you free.”

If only it were that easy. The last time she’d told the truth about her past, it didn’t set her free but chained her tighter to the mistakes she’d made.

She looked at the Rose of Sharon quilt blocks lying on the end of the table. She’d felt so special when Walt referred to her as his Rose of Sharon.

Her heart ached. She’d never hear those words uttered from his lips again. Never taste his kisses or know the warmth and safety of his arms now that he knew the truth. She was far from being a Rose of Sharon.

“That’s good cake, Lil.” Sandy placed her empty cup on the table and settled in her chair.

“Sandy, I hate to be rude, but I’m a little tired today and would like to lay down for a nap.”

Lil cringed at losing her barrier from Walt’s anger.

“Of course, I’m sorry. It’s just…” Sandy stood, putting one arm through the sleeve of her coat.

“I know. Cabin fever.” Walt stepped closer to Lil as he turned slightly to lift the Crock-Pot from the counter’s edge. “I really appreciate all the help you and the church ladies gave me.”

“It was our pleasure. See you in church on Sunday?” Sandy turned toward Lil.

“Probably not. I don’t require a full-time nurse anymore.” Walt walked Sandy to the door.

Lil’s fears weren’t irrational. Walt’s reaction was the same as Larry’s had been—unforgiving. She placed her head in her hands, covering her face with her palms.

She knew this assignment was going to be a nightmare from the start. But she hadn’t planned on a broken heart to boot. Walt’s and Sandy’s chattering niceties droned through Lil like a cartoon grown-up’s
wa,wa,wa
.

No longer trapped between a wall and a wall of Walt, she moved, ready to make her escape.

Keep talking, Sandy
. The irony of her change of mind due to her change of perspective brought out a sarcastic chuckle.

Walt stood on his doorstep, Sandy half in and half out of her car. Lil might have a chance to crack the door open, slip through, and race around Walt. She peered out the window, sizing up the situation.

Sandy slid behind her wheel.

Walt’s hand was on the storm door handle.

She’d never make it.
The front door
.

As Lil turned on her heel and headed through the living room, the only sound she heard was the thundering of her cowardly heart.

“Lil?”

The firmness of Walt’s call sped up her footsteps. She was almost through the door to the office, her heart shattering into pieces like thin ice under a boot heel. She couldn’t face Walt or see the disappointment in his eyes where love once shone.

“Is Lilac Hayes, brave war protestor, running away?”

His mocking tone stopped her in her tracks.

“I’m not surprised though. I’ve found most of the people who protested the war were cowards.” A harsh laugh emphasized his point.

Lil’s blood boiled. She might have had a change of heart, but protestors never lacked courage. She spun around, eyes narrowed.

“The war protestors I knew weren’t cowards. They,
we
, endured criticism, beatings, and arrests.” That was the first time in years she’d owned up to being a war protestor.

With his arms crossed over his chest, Walt walked toward her. His angry presence filled the room, making him seem taller, fiercer than before. A force to be reckoned with.

“You led me to believe that you supported America’s troops.” He stopped a foot short of the doorway.

“I do support our troops.”

“But you didn’t always, and that’s where you misled me after I told you about Nancy and her homecoming surprise.”

The angry fire that blazed from Walt’s eyes penetrated her to her very soul.

“I didn’t mislead you.” She snapped each word.

“Not telling the truth is the same as misleading.”

Even with a foot between them, Lil felt the angry embers of Walt’s hot breath rain down. But even through his anger, his eyes didn’t reflect the disappointment and betrayal that Larry’s had.

“And the truth will set you free.”

At God’s nudging, Lil squared her shoulders and took a deep breath. “All four years of college I protested the Vietnam war. I’m not sorry for that.”

Though her voice crackled and tears threatened her eyes, she stepped closer to Walt and continued. “I am sorry for all the horrendous names I called the soldiers, all the props I threw at them. I learned too late that names can hurt people, especially when those cruel names forever echo in their minds.”

Lil gasped and put her hand to her chest, surprised by the sudden relief in her heart. Her shoulders now felt light and free as she unburdened herself of decades-old guilt and shame.

Apologizing to Walt replaced what Larry never gave her a chance to say. She closed her eyes, the red horror as intense as it had been the day she walked back into the hospital room to beg his forgiveness. His empty razor lay on his bed tray.

“Lil.” Walt grasped her shoulders. You’re white as a sheet. And you have that faraway look again.”

Lil looked intently at Walt, the hot blaze of his anger now a smolder in his eyes.

“Tell me what it is that scares you so much. Is it something you did during a protest?”

“Not directly.” As far as Lil knew, Larry was never one of the soldiers she’d called names.

“What do you mean?” Walt’s voice was terse, and confusion etched every line on his handsome face.

Lil reached to caress his soft cheek but then pulled her hand back. It really didn’t matter that she hadn’t called Larry the names. She had called other soldiers names. Had they taken their lives because of her cruel words?