<< Go Back

Hearts Communion

By Marianne Evans

Order Now!

Jeremy Edwards’s cell phone came to life. A
vibration sizzled against his hip, and as he unclipped
his BlackBerry, the display screen lit up with an
incoming text:
HELP! Ur nephew is raging with 101 fever. Can u
pick him up from daycare n keep him 4 a while? Txt,
don’t call. Im in class. DESPERATE! APPRECIATE! C
Jeremy, JB to everyone who knew him best, reread
the missive from his brother, Collin. Collin’s wife,
Daveny, was out of town, pitching a corporate
landscaping project in southern Ohio. Collin would be
teaching his high school English class for another—
Jeremy flicked his wrist and quick‐checked his watch—
two hours or so, depending on student demands.
So he stopped painting freshly installed drywall
and stepped off the ladder, calling out to one of the
crewmen at work on the task. “Greg, I’m gone for a
couple hours. Tell Mindy I’ll be back later tonight to
install the dishwasher for her.”
“Will do. See ya, JB.”
Gotta love flexibility, Jeremy thought with honest
gratitude. Leaving behind a living room buzzing with
remodeling activity, he went to the kitchen of the
modest, three‐bedroom bungalow his construction
company was helping to renovate. Gratis. There he
grabbed his leather jacket from the spot where he had
draped it over a chair at the dining table. After sliding
it on, he texted his “yes” to Collin’s request and hit the
send button.
The project he currently spearheaded was part of
an effort to give back to his hometown, especially as
summer construction activity slowed down and a fiery
Michigan autumn bent toward winter. That fact drove
itself home as soon as Jeremy stepped out the back
door of the kitchen and found himself buffeted by a
stiff, biting wind. He stuffed his hands in his coat
pockets, lowering his head as he jogged to his pickup
truck.
He auto‐started the vehicle, then his thoughts
zeroed in on Jeffrey, his nearly three‐year‐old nephew.
Jeremy grinned to himself. He was happy to help
Collin. After all, Jeremy absolutely doted on his
nephew—and everyone else in his family.
Climbing into the cab of his truck was a welcome
relief from the elements. Before leaving, he pulled out
his phone once again and performed a location search
on Sunny Horizons Day Care Center. He had a vague
idea of where the facility was located, but had never
been there.
Navigation in place, he backed down the bumpy
driveway of Mindy Nather’s home, frowning at the
cracks he saw in the asphalt.
“Needs work,” he muttered, driving toward the
business district of Saint Clair Shores. Meanwhile, he
mentally mapped out crews, supplies and the time
necessary to repair the driveway, tacking that aspect of
the job onto the living room and dining room
renovations, which were nearly complete. He used
downtime at a stoplight to open up a pack of cashews
and pour a few into his mouth.
Crunching the snack, he shook out some more and
moved forward, following traffic to an area of the city
that featured a number of stand‐alone retail buildings.
Behind them were neighborhoods full of nice homes,
still‐green grass and trees gone spindly and barren. JB
munched on more cashews, chewing while he kept
watch for the address of Jeffrey’s daycare center.
According to technology, he was getting close.
Sure enough, a minute or two later he spotted a
wooden sign featuring a rainbow, a large sun full of
rays, and the words Sunny Horizons painted in a
variety of bold, primary colors. The moniker resided
on a patch of grass in front of a well‐maintained ranchstyle
home crafted of red brick that had been converted
to commercial use.
Finishing up his get‐me‐through‐to‐a‐late‐dinner
protein boost, Jeremy tossed the wrapper into a cup
holder and turned into the parking lot. He brought the
truck to a stop, thinking about his nephew. Poor
Jeffrey. He’d take him straight home to Collin’s place
where the boy could rest up and recover in his own
bed.
But what, exactly, should somebody give a sick
two‐year‐old? How much of that liquid medicine stuff
would Jeffrey need? While he considered, and made
plans to call Collin on that count, JB walked past the
window line of the facility and glanced inside
That’s when his focus sharpened on the scene
inside, and his footsteps came to an abrupt halt. A
thought slipped into place with compelling impact:
What a gorgeous woman. Long blonde hair fell forward
in layers, framing a face that featured fair skin and
expressive, baby‐blue eyes. The straight, thick strands
swung as she moved from place to place, spotting preMarianne
school kids currently playing Twister, which caused
his insides to spark. Jeans and an aqua colored sweater
showed off a trim figure. She laughed easily, talking
the kids through difficult moves and exclaiming when
players tumbled and fell.
Quick as a blink he watched the lovely lady shift
focus. She turned away from the Twister competition
and whisked up one of the smaller toddlers who
lingered shyly near her legs. Lovely Lady stepped into
a clear space. Face alight with pleasure, she spun the
toddler, who seemed to laugh and enjoy it just as much
as her female charge.
In fact, the sensation was contagious. Jeremy
smiled in response to the pair.
And I’m still riveted to the sidewalk. He silently
chastised himself, performing a mental shake that
jostled him back to the moment at hand. Stay on point,
JB! Jeffrey. Nephew. Sick kid in need of help.
He approached the entryway and stepped inside.
But rescue mission or not, he looked forward to
meeting the woman.

Order Now!

<< Go Back