Bill could capture him before he exacted his terrible revenge. She called to Choo Choo, and with one last look around the tidy cabin, she left, locking the door behind her.
Bill got out of the truck and walked over to her Jeep. “Got everything?”
She nodded.
He hesitated, shifting his weight from foot to foot. “I’m sorry it had to come to this, but it’s the best thing. We both know that.”
Was he really sorry to see her go? She looked at his eyes, which he abruptly swiveled away from her. There was a profound relief in his face that shone through the carefully controlled expression. He was pleased that she was leaving, and the notion pained her.
“Where are you headed?”
She managed a smile. “Miami. I don’t think Choo Choo will like being put in a crate, but he’s a pretty good traveler. I’ll leave the car here until it’s safe to come and get it.” She eyed the cabin. “I hate to leave it here empty. I’m not sure when my father will be coming back.”
“I’ll keep an eye on it for you.” He loaded her suitcase into his truck and let Choo Choo in the front seat.
“Do you think you’ll catch him?”
His mouth tightened. “I’ll catch him.”
The chill in his words cut through to her core. “I hope you do, Bill. I …” She reached a hand toward him, wanting to touch that warm, brown skin. Instead she let it fall away.
I’m sorry that I ruined things with us.
The words wouldn’t come out. She could tell that he wouldn’t welcome them anyway. All he wanted was for her to leave Rockvale for good.
Swallowing the bitter taste in her mouth, she climbed into the passenger seat. Choo Choo gave her a lick and settled himself between her and Bill. They drove into a spectacular blaze of sunrise and headed toward the main road.
Heather remembered that she’d turned off her phone theday before. She reached into her bag and flipped it on. The screen indicated she had a voice mail.
Oscar?
Stomach tightening, she clicked on it.
Static crackled through the line, peppered with her father’s voice.
Honey … sorry I wasn’t home … know it will … hard but I am asking you to take care of … I’ll be home when I can. Call you soon … battery’s dying. Love you.
She felt a surge of joy at hearing from her father, but the message confounded her. She played it again.
Take care of what? What was he talking about?
There were no other new messages on her phone.
Bill gave her a puzzled look but did not comment.
She pressed her dad’s number. Ten rings and it went to voice mail.
“Dad, it’s Heather. I’m flying out of Rockvale today. I couldn’t understand your message. Call me back.” She hung up. “Weird.”
Bill raised an eyebrow. “Your father?”
“Yes. He wants me to take care of something, but I didn’t get the gist of it.”
“Whatever it is, call me and I’ll handle it for you.”
He would, too. She glanced at his serious profile, the weathered face that didn’t smile often, but lit up when it did. He didn’t laugh often, either, but in the last few weeks of their time together, he’d seemed happier than she’d ever seen him. She wouldn’t forget the moment he’d opened her cookbook present and thumbed through the pages as if they contained the secrets of the universe. Shame closed in on her again.
Why hadn’t she been able to control herself?
Why had she ruined everything?
Because you’re powerless over alcohol, Heather, and you
needed God to save you, just like He’s carried you through every day of your sobriety.
Repeating the truth gave her a feeling of calm. She had the sudden urge to share her thoughts with Bill, but again the words refused to come out.
Instead she stroked Choo Choo and puzzled over her father’s message until they rolled up to the small airport. Checking Choo Choo in wasn’t as traumatic as Heather had feared. The dog willingly climbed into the crate. “I’ll see you soon, boy.”
Choo Choo collapsed on the bottom of
Bill got out of the truck and walked over to her Jeep. “Got everything?”
She nodded.
He hesitated, shifting his weight from foot to foot. “I’m sorry it had to come to this, but it’s the best thing. We both know that.”
Was he really sorry to see her go? She looked at his eyes, which he abruptly swiveled away from her. There was a profound relief in his face that shone through the carefully controlled expression. He was pleased that she was leaving, and the notion pained her.
“Where are you headed?”
She managed a smile. “Miami. I don’t think Choo Choo will like being put in a crate, but he’s a pretty good traveler. I’ll leave the car here until it’s safe to come and get it.” She eyed the cabin. “I hate to leave it here empty. I’m not sure when my father will be coming back.”
“I’ll keep an eye on it for you.” He loaded her suitcase into his truck and let Choo Choo in the front seat.
“Do you think you’ll catch him?”
His mouth tightened. “I’ll catch him.”
The chill in his words cut through to her core. “I hope you do, Bill. I …” She reached a hand toward him, wanting to touch that warm, brown skin. Instead she let it fall away.
I’m sorry that I ruined things with us.
The words wouldn’t come out. She could tell that he wouldn’t welcome them anyway. All he wanted was for her to leave Rockvale for good.
Swallowing the bitter taste in her mouth, she climbed into the passenger seat. Choo Choo gave her a lick and settled himself between her and Bill. They drove into a spectacular blaze of sunrise and headed toward the main road.
Heather remembered that she’d turned off her phone theday before. She reached into her bag and flipped it on. The screen indicated she had a voice mail.
Oscar?
Stomach tightening, she clicked on it.
Static crackled through the line, peppered with her father’s voice.
Honey … sorry I wasn’t home … know it will … hard but I am asking you to take care of … I’ll be home when I can. Call you soon … battery’s dying. Love you.
She felt a surge of joy at hearing from her father, but the message confounded her. She played it again.
Take care of what? What was he talking about?
There were no other new messages on her phone.
Bill gave her a puzzled look but did not comment.
She pressed her dad’s number. Ten rings and it went to voice mail.
“Dad, it’s Heather. I’m flying out of Rockvale today. I couldn’t understand your message. Call me back.” She hung up. “Weird.”
Bill raised an eyebrow. “Your father?”
“Yes. He wants me to take care of something, but I didn’t get the gist of it.”
“Whatever it is, call me and I’ll handle it for you.”
He would, too. She glanced at his serious profile, the weathered face that didn’t smile often, but lit up when it did. He didn’t laugh often, either, but in the last few weeks of their time together, he’d seemed happier than she’d ever seen him. She wouldn’t forget the moment he’d opened her cookbook present and thumbed through the pages as if they contained the secrets of the universe. Shame closed in on her again.
Why hadn’t she been able to control herself?
Why had she ruined everything?
Because you’re powerless over alcohol, Heather, and you
needed God to save you, just like He’s carried you through every day of your sobriety.
Repeating the truth gave her a feeling of calm. She had the sudden urge to share her thoughts with Bill, but again the words refused to come out.
Instead she stroked Choo Choo and puzzled over her father’s message until they rolled up to the small airport. Checking Choo Choo in wasn’t as traumatic as Heather had feared. The dog willingly climbed into the crate. “I’ll see you soon, boy.”
Choo Choo collapsed on the bottom of
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