As she crossed each barrier in reaching her goal to speak to Dr. Frank, Caleb realized how much had changed in the shy, reticent woman he’d met a few months ago. Or maybe her determination had always been there. Whatever it was, Caleb was inordinately glad that he hadn’t walked away that first day he’d met Mia.

  Several times Caleb noticed Mia’s eyes close when she was put on hold. He realized she was praying. Mia’s faith in God’s love for His children continually intrigued Caleb. Unlike him, she seemed to have no questions about God. Caleb envied her that. He’d seen her gentle, loving manner win over crotchety folks at church and bitter young women at Family Ties. Nobody was immune to Mia’s warmth.

  Including him? Most of all him, Caleb’s heart insisted.

  Within half an hour Mia was speaking personally to Dr. Frank, laying out Lily’s case before asking him to make a special concession to see her. Caleb couldn’t tell from her face after she hung up the phone what the decision was.

  “Well?” he asked impatiently when she doodled on her notepad.

  “He’ll see her, but only if we can get her to Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto by Friday.” Mia’s calm pronouncement stunned Caleb.

  “Friday?” He blinked. “But—that’s only three days from now.”

  “So we’d better get to work.” Mia shot him a grin, then pulled forward her laptop and punched in an airline’s website. Fingers hovering above the keyboard, she turned to him and asked, “You are coming, aren’t you?”

  “Oh, I’m coming,” he assured her, reaching for his wallet. “You can charge our two tickets on my card.”

  “Two? You don’t think I’d let that little girl go without me, do you?” Mia glared at him. “I will be with Lily through whatever comes, Caleb. Don’t even try to stop me.”

  “I wasn’t going to,” he said, delighted by her response. Mia ignored his outstretched card.

  “Thank you, but not necessary.” She kept her eyes on her keyboard. “I guess this is a good time to tell you. I have set up a trust fund for Lily.”

  Caleb felt bemused, befuddled, as if he’d missed something. “You did?”

  “Well, actually Bella did, at my request. It will cover any expenses we incur.” She did look at him then. “Of course, you’ll have to sign off on the expenses because you’ll be the administrator.”

  “But—” He struggled to find words. This woman. This marvelous, wonderful woman. Caleb’s heart expanded until he could hardly breathe. “Mia, that’s so kind of you. It’s amazing.” Her generosity toward Lily humbled him. “Are you sure you want to use your personal funds—”

  “They’re not my funds. That glass you found in my basement turned out to be genuine Lalique and worth quite a bit.” She chuckled when his eyes opened wide. “I loved four of those pieces, so I kept them. They’re displayed in my bedroom.”

  “And the rest?” he asked, hardly daring to believe he’d finally achieved his goal for Lily.

  “Bella contacted an art dealer friend who was delighted to find homes in museums for the most special pieces. The rest were sold. That’s Lily’s fund. Bella will get the information to you as soon as everything is settled.” Mia told him the amount.

  Caleb’s jaw dropped in shock. Mia returned to booking the airline tickets, then paused. “Do you think Hilda should come along?”

  “No. She hates flying. The man she was once engaged to died piloting an airplane. She hasn’t flown since.” Caleb still couldn’t believe it. “Mia, are you sure?”

  “Yes.” She looked across the breakfast bar at something he couldn’t see. “I’ve prayed for weeks about that glass. Harlan meant its use for something else, but God had other plans. Harlan’s rare old books were sold to set up a fund for needy women who come to Family Ties.” She shrugged. “You’ll have to administer that, too, I’m afraid. Along with Abby, of course.”

  Caleb couldn’t find the words. Mia had taken a negative in her life, her husband’s miserly trick against her, and turned it into something wonderful.

  “You know that verse ‘All things work together for good’?” she asked, face upturned. “Well, I believe that’s what God is doing in my life. He’s working things out. Like this ranch, like your dad helping me, like providing funds for Lily and helping Abby’s outreach at Family Ties. It’s all part of His plan.”

  Caleb blinked. What could he say to that? Nothing but a heartfelt thank-you.

  They spent the next hour planning details like which hotel would be easiest to reach from the hospital and whether they should stay an extra day to let Lily relax. No detail seemed too small to escape Mia’s attention. By the time darkness had fallen and the aroma of roasting chicken filled the kitchen, Caleb knew that if ever he could love someone, he’d want that person to be Mia.

  But then his father returned and Caleb put away those wayward thoughts. Love wasn’t for him—he knew that. But when had he begun to long for the right to hug Mia close, to grasp her hand and share her joy in planning wonderful things for the future?

  Even if he could let go of the past, Caleb was pretty sure Mia couldn’t be part of his future.

  Chapter Eight

  Determined not to let Lily fret over the visit with Dr. Frank, Mia kept the little girl busy with games and puzzles during the flight to Toronto.

  “You thought of everything,” Caleb said when Lily’s head nodded onto his shoulder and she fell asleep. “She hasn’t had time to worry.”

  “That was the goal.” Mia tucked the computer Lily had used in her bag.

  “It hasn’t stopped me worrying,” Caleb admitted. “What happens if he can’t do anything for her? What if—”

  “Caleb.” Mia reached across Lily and threaded her hand in his. The touch made her stomach wobble, but she held on anyway. This was not the time to let her personal feelings get in the way. This was the time to join together and support this little girl. “This morning I read a scripture. ‘The Lord will provide.’ Let’s hang on to that.”

  He squeezed her hand. “I am continually shamed by the strength of your faith.”

  “Shamed?” she asked, pleased by the compliment but too aware of her own personal struggles to trust God, of her ache to hold her own child when she knew that wasn’t His will. “Part of being in God’s family means supporting each other.”

  Mia drew her hand away. Contact with Caleb always made her wish for more, but she simply couldn’t imagine ever again depending on another man. It felt utterly humiliating to remember how she’d been hoodwinked by Harlan and hadn’t even suspected it, to recall her blind obedience to his edicts as if she had no mind of her own when all the time he’d been using her to get the inheritance her mother had left. Bella had summarized the totality of his nefarious schemes on the phone last night, leaving Mia feeling stupidly naive.

  But at least she’d learned from her miserable marriage. She’d learned to listen to the still, small voice inside her. She’d learned to ask questions, a lot of questions, and to look for answers from more than one person. Most of all she’d learned that the freedom of choice was worthy of staying independent. So far anyway.

  “Wake up, sweetheart. We’re landing now.” Caleb brushed Lily’s cheek with his knuckles and smiled when her long dark lashes lifted. “Is your seat belt fastened?”

  “Uh-huh.” Lily peered at him, trust glowing in her dark blue eyes. “Will it hurt, Uncle Caleb?”

  “I don’t think it will hurt today. The doctor just wants to look at your leg to see if he can help you,” Caleb explained.

  “What if he can’t, Uncle Caleb?”

  Mia’s heart broke as shadows moved into Caleb’s silver eyes. He opened his mouth but clearly had no words, so when he looked to her, she smiled at him and then Lily.

  “You mean what if he can’t fix your leg?” Mia said softly.

  Lily nodded. “I’ll be the same then, won’t I?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. None of knows what God has planned for us, honey.” Mia cupped the child’s chin in her palm. “Six months ago I didn’t even imagine I’d be living at Riverbend. But God had other plans. We have to trust that He’ll do what’s best for us because He loves us so much. Can you do that?” she asked as the plane taxied to the terminal.

  “I’ll try.” Lily’s shoulders straightened.

  Mia’s heart bumped with pride as the little girl moved regally down the aisle and out of the plane. Though people turned to watch her, it wasn’t her limp they were looking at. It was Lily’s beautiful smile. Most of them smiled back.

  So did Dr. Frank. It took less than half an hour to reach the hospital thanks to a very capable cab driver. They were immediately shown into a room where Dr. Frank probed and pressed, assessing everything with shrewd eyes as he teased Lily with a bunch of goofy jokes. When he was finished he didn’t send Lily from the room as Mia had anticipated. She moved closer to Caleb, seeking his support as they waited.

  “Well, Miss Lily.” Dr. Frank sat in a chair, putting his eye level even with hers. “You’ve had some problems with your leg since you broke it, haven’t you?”

  “That’s why we came to see you,” Lily said. “Can you fix my leg, Dr. Frank?”

  “I’m not sure.” Mia listened intently as Dr. Frank explained how the bones had grown together wrong. “It would take a lot of operating to take the bones apart and put them back together the right way,” he warned.

  “That would hurt.” Lily paled.

  “It will hurt for a while, until your bones get used to being in the new way,” Dr. Frank said honestly.

  “And then I wouldn’t limp?” Lily asked. “I hate limping.”

  “I think if we did the operation, you wouldn’t limp as much, but I can’t say for sure that you wouldn’t limp at all, Lily.” Dr. Frank leaned back in his chair. “We won’t know that till after the operation.”

  “How much would it hurt?” Fear filled Lily’s voice. Mia moved to comfort her, but Dr. Frank made a motion that asked her to stay where she was.

  “It would hurt a lot at first,” he said quietly. “We would give you some medicine to make it hurt less, but it will hurt. And it will hurt while you learn to walk.”

  “I already know how to walk,” Lily said indignantly.

  “Yes, now you do, but after the operation your leg has to learn all over again. It won’t want to.” Dr. Frank explained every detail, answered every question to prepare Lily for what lay ahead.

  Mia’s head whirled. She couldn’t imagine how Lily was able to understand it all, but to her surprise, the child sat straight and tall, paying close attention. Caleb looked just as focused.

  “So what do you think, Lily?” Dr. Frank finally asked. “Do you think you want to have the operation on your leg or are you afraid it will hurt too much?”

  Lily’s forehead furrowed as she considered what he’d said. Mia wanted to go to her and lend support, but she knew it was important that the little girl make this decision herself. If Lily asked for help, she and Caleb would gladly offer it. But the choice was Lily’s.

  “My mom died. That hurt a lot.” A tear trickled down her velvet cheek. “It still hurts.”

  “It probably always will,” Dr. Frank said in a soft voice. “But after a while it will get easier.”

  And so it went. Lily asked every question she could think of and Dr. Frank patiently answered each, repeating if he needed to, easing her fears but making no attempt to mask the truth. Mia felt as though she were on pins and needles, waiting for the little girl to make her decision. At last Lily stretched out a hand toward her. Mia stepped forward and clasped it tightly. On Lily’s other side Caleb did the same.

  “What should I do, Mia?” Lily asked.

  “I can’t tell you that, honey.” Mia brushed her hair off her forehead. “I can only tell you that I think Dr. Frank is very good at operating and I believe he would do his very best for you. Do you want some time to think it over and pray about it?”

  “No.” Lily shook her head. “I already prayed. A lot.”

  “Then, what does your heart say?” Mia asked softly.

  “It says yes,” she said firmly. “Is that okay, Uncle Caleb?”

  “It’s very okay.” Caleb drew them both into the security of his arms. Mia could have stayed there forever, but there were details to see to. Besides, if she stayed tucked in his embrace for much longer, it would only be more painful to leave and harder to resist the craving to return to that weakling she’d been and allow someone else to be strong for her.

  That could not happen. She focused on Lily.

  “When?” Mia asked the doctor.

  “I’d like to do the surgery as soon as possible, and I’d rather do it in Calgary,” Dr. Frank said to them. “That way Lily won’t have to go through a long return flight. And she’ll be closer to her friends during her recovery. I know she has a lot of those.” He and Lily shared a smile, but then his face grew serious. “It will be quite costly,” he warned in a low voice. “I’ll gladly donate my fees to help her, but the hospital will require payment for the specialized care Lily will require, and they’ll want a large part of the payment up front.”

  “Cost is not a barrier,” Mia said firmly. “Lily must have whatever she needs.”

  “Are you sure?” He named a figure that made Caleb’s eyes widen. Mia only nodded.

  “Whatever,” she insisted, certain that the money she’d set aside for Lily’s future could not find a better use. “Do you have a date in mind?”

  “Wednesday next week.” Dr. Frank smiled at her surprise. “That is, provided Calgary can set it up. It has to be then because I’ll be leaving for a mission trip to Africa after Christmas and I want Lily well on the way to recovery before I go.”

  “Is next Wednesday okay for the operation, Lily?” Mia watched as fear fought faith in Lily’s dark blue eyes. “That gives us lots of time to pray,” she whispered in the child’s ear. When Lily nodded, Mia hugged her.

  “Will you be with me, Mia? You and Uncle Caleb?” she asked in a wobbly voice.

  “Of course we’ll be there. The nurses will probably have to throw us out of the hospital we’ll be there so much.” Mia let out a pent-up breath as Lily giggled. A glance at Caleb revealed tears glossing his eyes. When he turned his head to brush them away, Mia felt that pinch on her heart again. He was such a good man.

  “Okay, I’ll set it up and send you the details.” Dr. Frank tweaked Lily’s nose. “I’ll be checking on you. You have email?” He pretended amazement when she said no. “Well, you’ll have to get it. I can’t go without talking to my favorite patient for a whole week!”

  “I can borrow Mia’s computer,” Lily assured him. “Or Uncle Caleb’s. They both look after me.”

  “You’re a pretty lucky little girl to have such good people caring for you, Lily.” Dr. Frank rose. “I have to go. You keep praying.” His glance included all of them. “I like knowing God’s been asked to attend my operations.”

  “I’ll pray really hard,” Lily promised.

  “Me, too.” Dr. Frank beckoned Caleb into the hallway, leaving Mia with Lily.

  Although she yearned to hear what was being said, Mia accepted that as Lily’s guardian, Caleb was in charge. She waited until after lunch. They walked to a nearby park where Lily could play. Then Mia asked what had been said in the hallway at the hospital.

  “Dr. Frank shared some details about her aftercare,” he told her. “I’m concerned about that. I don’t think Ms. Hilda can manage everything.”

  “I’ve noticed she’s getting less mobile. Why is that?” Mia asked.

  “Hilda fell last year and reinjured her knee when she was looking after the son of a friend of mine, a little boy named Henry. The doctors recommended Hilda have a knee replacement this fall, but then Lily needed a place to stay and…” He let the rest of it trail away.

  Mia knew what was coming, but she also knew it couldn’t happen. She steeled herself against his anxious voice.

  “You’ve already done so much, Mia. I hate to ask this. But would it be possible for you to have Lily stay at your place to recuperate—”

  She had to stop him.

  “I’d like nothing more than for Lily to come to Riverbend, Caleb. Goodness knows I certainly have the room. But I can’t do it.” She turned her head away from his probing gaze and studied the little girl working so hard to climb up the stairs to the slide. “It just isn’t possible. I’m sorry.”

  “Can you tell me why?” His voice, soft, patient, soothed that part inside her that yearned for tenderness. “Please? I won’t judge.”

  Perhaps that promise was why Mia gave in to the urge to tell the story she’d kept secreted inside for five long years.

  “You call your father a murderer,” she began. “Well, I am, too. I’m responsible for a child’s death. He’s dead because of me.” There—she’d said it. Mia looked at Caleb, steeling herself for the disgust and loathing she knew she’d see there.

  But Caleb’s silver-gray eyes held neither disgust nor abhorrence, only surprise and compassion mixed with sadness. He glanced over to make sure Lily was all right, then lifted Mia’s hand and folded it into his.

  “Tell me what happened, Mia.” His kindness was her undoing.

  “His name was Bobby Janzen,” she said, unable to stop the gush of words or tears. “He was three years old and I loved him.”

  Harlan had never let her explain, never wanted to hear the details of that horrible time. He’d “cleaned up her mess,” as he’d put it, then forbade her to ever babysit another child again. He couldn’t afford the scandal of her ineptitude, he’d said.

  “Go on.” Caleb tightened his grip on her hand when she would have pulled away. “Lily’s chatting with that little boy,” he said when she glanced away. “She’s fine. Tell me the rest of the story.”

  “Bobby’s parents were our neighbors,” Mia explained after a deep breath. “I was bored that first year I was married to Harlan. I was used to school and people and things filling my day. Then my mother was gone and there was nothing but grief. I had to do something, and since Harlan didn’t want me to work, I started going to the park. I met Bobby.” She closed her eyes and let the memories fill her mind.

 

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