Read Online Return to Me by Robin Lee Hatcher - Free Book Online
Authors: Robin Lee Hatcher
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center of the kitchen table, along with a tall glass of orange juice, butter, and a pitcher of maple syrup.
Roxy’s favorite breakfast.
Fortuna turned and saw her. “The waffle will be ready soon. I heard you in the shower.”
“Thanks, Fortuna. You’re the best.” She grabbed a mug and filled it with coffee. After adding some flavored creamer, she leaned her hip against the counter.
“Your father, he called. He is at work now, but when he heard you were awake, he said to tell you he will be home in an hour.”
“He shouldn’t rearrange his day for me.”
Fortuna’s eyes widened. “Do you think he would spend all day at work when he could be here with you? He prayed too long and too hard for your return to do that.”
Is prayer what brought me home? If so, she wished her father had prayed for her success in Nashville instead.
“Sit. Sit, niña . You need to eat. You are too thin.”
Roxy chuckled as she obeyed. “Haven’t you heard a woman can never be too thin?”
The housekeeper snorted softly, dismissing the statement as she lifted the lid on the waffle iron and forked the golden brown waffle onto a plate.
Roxy’s stomach growled.
Fortuna laughed. “See. Didn’t I say you need to eat?” She set the plate in front of Roxy. “You should not argue with me about food. I know what is best.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “I missed you, Fortuna.” “I know.”
The two simple words were a caress on Roxy’s wounded spirit.
=
Mobile phone in hand, Elena paced back and forth across the meet- ing room in the San Diego store’s office suite. “Did she say why she came home, Wyatt?”
I shouldn’t need to ask why. It doesn’t matter why. She’s here. She’s
home. I should thank God, like Dad’s thanking Him.
“She didn’t say much of anything. She didn’t have a chance. Your father had Fortuna take her upstairs almost as soon as she came through the door.”
“How did she look?”
“Not good. Tired. Way too thin. Like a slight gust of wind could blow her away.”
Elena wrestled with herself before asking the next question, “Did you . . . did you tell her about us?”
“No. We didn’t talk, other than to say hello. Like I said, she was done in after her trip from Tennessee.”
Is that why? Or did you just not want her to know? Elena felt sick
to her stomach at the thought. What did you feel when you saw her? Did you . . . did you want to hold her in your arms the way you used to? Please don’t want that. Please.
“I wish you here, Elena. I’m worried about her. She didn’t look good. More than thin and tired. She looks . . . lost, beaten. She’s Roxy, but not. Know what I mean?”
No, I don’t know what you mean. I’m afraid to know what you
mean.
Elena pressed the palm of her free hand against her stomach. “My flight’s scheduled to return tomorrow at 5:43. I’ll go straight to Dad’s from the airport. Will you meet me there?”
“I’ll be there.”
A light rap on the meeting room door reminded Elena it was time to focus on business matters. She covered the mouthpiece. “Just a moment.” Then she lowered her voice. “I’ve got to go, Wyatt.” She drew a breath. “I love you.”
“I love you too. Call me tonight when you’re free.” “Okay. I will. Bye.”
Phone still in hand, she walked to the door and opened it to reveal the store manager.
It was going to be a dreadful day.
=
Roxy ran her fingers across the spines of the books on the shelf. Her father’s library was expansive. He loved to read, and his tastes were eclectic — fiction, biography, history, how-to, self-help.
This particular bookcase held religious titles, dozens and doz- ens of them. Books on studying the Bible, counseling, leadership,
discipleship, Christian growth, evangelism. Biographies of people of faith. Biographies of people of the Bible. The history of the Chris- tian church. On the top shelf, there were six different translations of the Bible, two hardbacks,
Roxy’s favorite breakfast.
Fortuna turned and saw her. “The waffle will be ready soon. I heard you in the shower.”
“Thanks, Fortuna. You’re the best.” She grabbed a mug and filled it with coffee. After adding some flavored creamer, she leaned her hip against the counter.
“Your father, he called. He is at work now, but when he heard you were awake, he said to tell you he will be home in an hour.”
“He shouldn’t rearrange his day for me.”
Fortuna’s eyes widened. “Do you think he would spend all day at work when he could be here with you? He prayed too long and too hard for your return to do that.”
Is prayer what brought me home? If so, she wished her father had prayed for her success in Nashville instead.
“Sit. Sit, niña . You need to eat. You are too thin.”
Roxy chuckled as she obeyed. “Haven’t you heard a woman can never be too thin?”
The housekeeper snorted softly, dismissing the statement as she lifted the lid on the waffle iron and forked the golden brown waffle onto a plate.
Roxy’s stomach growled.
Fortuna laughed. “See. Didn’t I say you need to eat?” She set the plate in front of Roxy. “You should not argue with me about food. I know what is best.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “I missed you, Fortuna.” “I know.”
The two simple words were a caress on Roxy’s wounded spirit.
=
Mobile phone in hand, Elena paced back and forth across the meet- ing room in the San Diego store’s office suite. “Did she say why she came home, Wyatt?”
I shouldn’t need to ask why. It doesn’t matter why. She’s here. She’s
home. I should thank God, like Dad’s thanking Him.
“She didn’t say much of anything. She didn’t have a chance. Your father had Fortuna take her upstairs almost as soon as she came through the door.”
“How did she look?”
“Not good. Tired. Way too thin. Like a slight gust of wind could blow her away.”
Elena wrestled with herself before asking the next question, “Did you . . . did you tell her about us?”
“No. We didn’t talk, other than to say hello. Like I said, she was done in after her trip from Tennessee.”
Is that why? Or did you just not want her to know? Elena felt sick
to her stomach at the thought. What did you feel when you saw her? Did you . . . did you want to hold her in your arms the way you used to? Please don’t want that. Please.
“I wish you here, Elena. I’m worried about her. She didn’t look good. More than thin and tired. She looks . . . lost, beaten. She’s Roxy, but not. Know what I mean?”
No, I don’t know what you mean. I’m afraid to know what you
mean.
Elena pressed the palm of her free hand against her stomach. “My flight’s scheduled to return tomorrow at 5:43. I’ll go straight to Dad’s from the airport. Will you meet me there?”
“I’ll be there.”
A light rap on the meeting room door reminded Elena it was time to focus on business matters. She covered the mouthpiece. “Just a moment.” Then she lowered her voice. “I’ve got to go, Wyatt.” She drew a breath. “I love you.”
“I love you too. Call me tonight when you’re free.” “Okay. I will. Bye.”
Phone still in hand, she walked to the door and opened it to reveal the store manager.
It was going to be a dreadful day.
=
Roxy ran her fingers across the spines of the books on the shelf. Her father’s library was expansive. He loved to read, and his tastes were eclectic — fiction, biography, history, how-to, self-help.
This particular bookcase held religious titles, dozens and doz- ens of them. Books on studying the Bible, counseling, leadership,
discipleship, Christian growth, evangelism. Biographies of people of faith. Biographies of people of the Bible. The history of the Chris- tian church. On the top shelf, there were six different translations of the Bible, two hardbacks,
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