

HIDDEN IN THE

## HEART

### An LDS Novel

### Also by Roseanne Evans Wilkins

### Kansas Connections

### Tangled Hearts: An LDS Novel

### Hidden in the Heart: An LDS Novel

### Change of Heart: An LDS Novel

### California Connections

### Lined with Silver: An LDS Novel

### Children's Picture Book:

### The Fruitful Tree

## HIDDEN IN THE

## HEART

### An LDS Novel

### By Roseanne Evans Wilkins
Hidden in the Heart: An LDS Novel

Copyright © 2011

Roseanne Evans Wilkins

Saluki Press

Cover photograph by Coka/BigStock.com

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved.

### to the readers of Noonday Sun,

### a fanfiction book

### ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In gratitude to the Kansas State Historical Society for providing an informative on-line guide to the Topeka State Capitol. This essential guide helped me appreciate all the art and history contained in the building. With appreciation also to the owners of the Capitol Plaza Hotel who graciously agreed to my using their beautiful building as the setting for my book. Thanks to my patient husband, Craig, and his willingness to adjust our family travel plans to include the places mentioned in this book. Thanks also to my children who tolerated the intrusion into their summer plans. Finally, thanks to friends and family who took the time to read through the rough drafts. This book has truly been a group effort.

# Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1, Vacation

Chapter 2, Breakfast

Chapter 3, Zoo

Chapter 4, Respite

Chapter 5, Facing the Past

Chapter 6, Lake Shawnee Ward

Chapter 7, Sunday

Chapter 8, Escape

Chapter 9, State Capitol

Chapter 10, Phone Call

Chapter 11, Suite

Chapter 12, Arrangement

Chapter 13, Dance

Chapter 14, Real Life

Chapter 15, Into the Tornado

Chapter 16, Jill

Chapter 17, Nauvoo

About the Author

# Prologue

Music pulsated in the darkened room. The dim lighting was almost obliterated by stale smoke. Gyrating bodies moved to the deafening rhythm. Cathee Laurenson caught a glimpse of a young couple reflected in one of the scattered mirrors. She hardly recognized herself dancing in the arms of the 6'6" senior, Juan Ortiz. His muscles rippled as he moved, and she was dwarfed by him. She was 5'4" with the help of 3" heels. Honey blond curls hanging to the middle of her back had survived the Kansas wind. She wasn't always so lucky.

Juan attended her rival high school, Salina Central. They'd met at his school's homecoming game. She'd been hanging out with her old friends when he walked up and introduced himself.

She smiled at the memory, and his grip tightened on her waist. He looked down at her. "I have wanted to hurt you since we first met, chica." She pulled back, astounded those words would be coming out of his mouth. "I was shocked I could hold you so gently in my arms when we danced. I decided I was only biding my time–eventually I would get my way, and now is the time. "

She shook back her hair and laughed up at him. "I can always run."

"In those shoes?" he scoffed.

"No problem."

"Look again."

She glanced down at her 3 inch spikes, the shoes held on by fragile purple ribbons. Their color matched the form-fitting dress that stopped just below her knee.

She turned her face to his, her hazel eyes full of laughter. Her amusement died when she saw the animal hunger in his face. She'd never seen a human look like a predator. She turned to run. He was right. The shoes were hardly meant for dancing. Running was impossible. Her terrified voice wouldn't scream as he wrestled her toward the door, and the other patrons seemed too engrossed in their own business to notice...

In the quiet heart is

hidden

Sorrow

that the eye can't see.

\- Susan Evans McCloud

# Chapter 1, Vacation

"Mommy, what's that?"

Cathee glanced at her lovely daughter, taking in the almost unearthly likeness to her father–the same dark eyes, olive skin, and long, soft dark brown, almost black, hair. Thankfully, her resemblance was only skin deep. Christina had inherited the Laurenson personality.

Quickly, Cathee turned her glance toward the object in question–a distant bird soaring in the clear sky.

"Oh. That's a hawk. It's a bird that hunts animals like mice and smaller birds." She explained before Christina could ask the inevitable questions.

Cathee turned her attention back to the relentlessly straight Kansas freeway. Traffic wasn't too heavy, and the highway patrol was definitely not in evidence. The speedometer climbed accordingly. In another hour, barring any unplanned pit stop, they would be in Topeka. They were going to stay at the Capitol Plaza Hotel.

She was looking forward to visiting old haunts again. She hadn't visited the State Capitol since she had been a Laurel attending a multi-stake youth activity.

Driving through the familiar landscape brought a flood of memories. Cathee flinched as they flooded in.

Her parents had died in a boating accident just a little over a year before Christina had come to be. A sudden storm had hit Wilson Lake, and the waves had capsized the boat. She had been living with her dad's brother and his wife, Uncle Joe and Aunt Elaine. They had been kind, but they weren't her parents. They had been distraught at the loss of her parents, but they'd managed to overcome their pain to take her in. Almost a year later when she told them about her condition, they were devastated. Their own six children had left the nest as missionaries and then come home, dated members, and married in the temple. They didn't know how to cope.

Although the pain from losing her parents was a dull ache, it wasn't like that other pain. She couldn't shake the feeling that the events of that night were something she had brought on. She had flirted too much. Her dress had been too tight. There must have been something she had done to create the monster he had become, and so she lived with a gnawing pain, hidden in her heart.

She could laugh with her daughter. Play with her. Read to her. Dance with her. But she carried a shadow she couldn't shake.

Christina's four years had not been what Cathee had envisioned for her daughter. When she was a teen, before those terrifying moments had stolen her life, she had dreamed of being a mother of several children. Christina would not have been an only child, but the horror of those events wouldn't leave her. Cathee couldn't get past the trauma.

Post traumatic stress disorder.

Her thoughts brought out a sarcastic "Ha."

"What's wrong, Mommy?"

"Nothing." She met Christina's gaze in the rearview mirror and sent her a reassuring smile. When Christina's smile flashed in return, Cathee turned her attention back to the road and to her own thoughts.

Her condition had a name, but it was an inadequate one. Like fetus. The names didn't convey all the emotion contained in either word.

Names.

Clinical.

Dead.

Post traumatic stress disorder wasn't dead. It was like a coiled snake ready to strike.

The other word. Fetus. The accurate Latin translation was "Little One." Cathee preferred a different word.

Baby.

The small life within Cathee had never been a clinical condition. Christina had been a living entity from the moment of conception.

As soon as the bruises had faded and the realization had hit hard that Cathee wasn't the only one sharing her body, after sharing her condition with her aunt and uncle, she had gone to the Bishop in their ward. He had referred her to LDS Social Services. The social worker, Lee Nguyen, had directed her to any assistance a single mother could get. She was grateful for the help, and she had been surprised Brother Nguyen hadn't stressed adoption as the only option. It was offered as a choice, but she never felt degraded for choosing to keep her daughter. She couldn't handle parting with the only living person she was closely related to–even if her daughter's creation had been an act of violence.

She could sense the frustration of her Uncle Joe and Aunt Elaine. Shame ate at her. She had run away–run away from her former life, friends, family, from everything but her memories, her condition, and the Church. LDS Social Services had found a family she could live with in Utah. She finished the last few months of high school and then went on to attend Utah Valley University. Accounting was a perfect major. She could bury herself in her studies. As a single mother, she didn't have time to worry about a social life she didn't want.

During her time in school, she'd penned a few short notes to her aunt and uncle, but she hadn't made an effort to bridge the gulf that divided them. She sighed and glanced in the mirror at Christina. Even though they'd moved back to Kansas, she hadn't introduced her daughter to the only living relatives they shared. _Thanksgiving for sure_ , she promised herself. _I will introduce Christina then._ She should have made the effort long before, but she wasn't sure how they would react.

It was time to mend family ties. Several talks during General Conference had dealt with forgiveness and mending ties. She had felt the need then, but it was difficult to reach out when she didn't know how her family would respond. Would they reject her daughter? She stifled another sigh. No need to worry her daughter. She did enough worrying for both of them.

It had been difficult to leave Christina with another woman while she was getting her education and then working full time. There were times she ached to be home with her precious daughter. Being a single parent was never easy, but Cathee never regretted her choice. She had felt grateful for her daughter's existence many times over the past several years.

Christina's excited voice broke through her thoughts. "Mommy, I see another hawk. See? It's falling."

Cathee peered through the windshield to catch a glimpse of the hawk. "He's not falling, Honey. He's diving. Looks like he found his lunch." She looked over her shoulder at Christina, securely buckled in her booster seat. "Do you want to stop for something to eat?"

Christina's vigorous nod was convincing.

"You can have a Happy Meal at the restaurant. Did you want fries or Apple Dippers?"

"Apple Dippers! And don't forget the apple juice."

Cathee suppressed a smile. Of course, Christina would go for the apples. She usually did. "I won't. We'll be there in five minutes."

* * *

Cathee's sensible charcoal gray sedan, the one that had once belonged to her parents, matched most of the other cars in the Capitol Plaza parking lot. It looked like there was some kind of convention. Most of the cars looked suspiciously like rentals.

Cathee stepped out of the car, stretched, and moved to open Christina's door. Although Christina could buckle herself in, she still needed some help with undoing the buckles. The booster seat wasn't made for little hands to unbuckle. It was a safety feature Cathee had appreciated more than once.

"Let's take our bags. I don't want to come back to the car."

"OK, Mommy. Do I get to carry mine?"

Cathee pulled out the matching bags and released the handle out of the smaller one. "You can wheel yours behind you. It's too heavy to carry. Be careful." While Christina reached for the handle, Cathee released the handle on her own bag and shut the trunk.

"Ready?"

Christina nodded, and they headed for the lobby.

A couple of quietly talking men were standing next to a marble-encased pillar. Cathee's glance fell on them long enough to determine they weren't employees. Nonentities. She walked on to the desk and proceeded to check in.

Garrett Andrews shivered. The man standing next to him, Darrin Jones, nudged him with his elbow. He snickered quietly. "I now know what being looked through feels like."

Garrett nodded, his eyes still on the lovely young woman with honey gold hair. The child with her wore her hair the same way. Curls to the middle of her back. She looked like she was about four or five. But her hair was dramatically different. Dark brown, almost black. She turned curious eyes on him, eyes that didn't see right through him as if he wasn't there.

"Cold as ice." Garrett shivered again.

"Maybe so, but the view is something."

Garrett turned his attention back to Darrin and shrugged.

Darrin's green eyes were amused. "I bet a round of golf you couldn't make a date with her by, say, the end of the week."

"I...I don't know...."

"Come on. Your wife died almost six years ago, man. You won't dishonor her memory by going out a time or two." Darrin ran fingers through his red hair. The gesture meant some frustration. Garrett had known him long enough to recognize the sign.

He felt his own frustration rise. "I _have_ gone out."

"Yeah–with women you treat like sisters–and half of whom look like old maiden aunts."

"Still..."

"You don't need to shack up–just take her out a time or two."

"What if she's married?"

"Based on the drop of temperature when she looked at us, I'm sure she'll let you know."

Suddenly interested, Garrett grinned. "You're on."

They worked their way through the full-grown trees planted in the atrium to the restaurant. Seven stories above, the natural lighting glowed warmly through the peaked glass. Water fountains trickled soothingly. The myriad plants on the main floor and draping from the balconies acted as natural sound absorbers. It was easy to forget the hot Kansas sun in the cool sanctuary.

Christina watched the men until they were out of sight. The tall one with sandy blond hair held her interest. She liked the way his blue eyes met hers. He _saw_ her. He reminded her of her preschool teacher. The one that liked to sing funny songs.

The men held no interest for Cathee. She tucked her key cards into her purse then reached for Christina's hand. They quickly headed to the glass-walled elevator. Cathee stifled a shudder. She'd have to stare at the door. Being in a glass room zooming up six floors wasn't something she'd normally choose to do. As the elevator moved upward, Cathee resisted the urge to sit on the floor. Instead, she addressed Christina. "Our room is on the sixth floor. We'll be able to see a long way from our window." She smiled at Christina's delighted face as the elevator door opened to their floor.

The balcony railings reached chest high. Since Christina was naturally cautious, Cathee wasn't worried about her climbing over to see the atrium floor six stories below, but her own fear of heights kept her close to the wall. Planters lined the railings at intervals. The verdant greenery was calming, as was the sound of falling water rising from the main floor. Cathee took a deep breath and smiled. It felt peaceful here, even though it was the sixth floor. She needed some peace.

"Which room is ours, Mommy?" Christina was skipping ahead then stopped to look back. She obviously didn't share her mother's fear of heights.

"608. It's just a couple of doors up on the right."

Christina waited for her mom. Cathee slid the key card into the slot. When the light glowed green, she turned the knob and pushed open the heavy door. _A fire door. Nice. Another slice of peace to add to the vacation pie._ She smiled. "Let's unpack our things and then try out the pool."

"We get to go swimming? Yay!" Christina ran to the large wooden dresser that also served as a TV stand and opened the bottom drawer. "Can I put my things in here?" She looked up as Cathee closed the door.

"Go ahead. I'll use the top drawer for my clothes. Let's hang up our dresses in the closet. We'll be attending one of the Topeka wards the day after tomorrow."

A look of concern crossed Christina's face.

"What's wrong, Honey?"

"I don't know anyone in that Primary."

"It's okay. It's like our ward in Wichita. They all teach the same things. I'm sure you'll feel right at home. I'll help you find the Primary room." She looked down at Christina a moment. "If you want, you can attend Relief Society with me, but I think you'll enjoy your Primary class better. Let's see how you feel when we get to church on Sunday."

Christina's face cleared. She pulled out her dress and handed it to Cathee then turned to her bag to empty her clothes into the dresser. As she finished, she pulled out her tankini. The bright orange and pink flower print belonged on a Hawaiian beach.

Cathee's brow furrowed a moment then cleared. It would be a long time before she could afford a Hawaiian vacation. There wasn't enough left from her parents' insurance to cover anything exotic. Her government salary was adequate but it would be years before she would be able to take Christina anywhere like that. In the meantime, Topeka was waiting to be explored.

After she hung up their dresses and her shirts in the closet, she pulled out her matching tankini and headed for the bathroom. "I'll change in here. You can change in the bedroom. Just make sure you leave the drapes closed until we're both dressed."

"Okay, Mommy." Christina's voice was muffled by the shirt she was already pulling over her head.

Cathee was pulling a black wrap over her brightly covered tankini as she walked out of the bathroom.

"You look pretty, Mommy. I like your dress."

Cathee smiled. "Thanks. I don't like walking around in my swimming suit. Why don't you grab a t-shirt for you?" Christina pulled out a neon green shirt to go over her suit.

Cathee slipped on her white leather flip flops. Christina clapped her hands in delight. "I like your shoes, Mommy. I can see your painted nails."

"I'm glad you talked me into painting them before going on vacation. I like having our toenails painted alike."

Christina giggled and wiggled her toes. "Me, too." She slipped on her blue plastic flip flops then moved to the door.

Cathee grabbed the key card, and they both headed out the heavy door. It shut behind them with a satisfying thud.

The pool was a basic rectangle. Nothing fancy, but at least they had it to themselves. Even though it was modestly cut, Cathee didn't like the exposed feeling of her swimming suit. It didn't take long for Christina to lure her into the water.

Cathee was too absorbed in their game of Marco Polo to notice when Garrett and Darrin stopped outside the pool room to enjoy the view. The soundproof glass kept their conversation private.

"If I wasn't a happily married man about to celebrate my eighth anniversary, I'd ask her out myself." Darrin grinned at Garrett.

"We don't even know how long she'll be here. She might not be attending the conference. What if she's just spending the night?"

"Maybe the front clerk will take a bribe to let us know her schedule."

Garrett turned to stare at Darrin. "I don't think I heard you right."

"Well, it wouldn't hurt to try."

"I'm not that desperate."

"After five years, you should be."

Garrett winced. "Would you quit reminding me? I don't need you to keep a running calendar..."

"Sorry." Darrin's eyes dropped a moment. He hadn't meant to hurt his friend. Anxious to change the mood, he turned to Garrett. "Did you want to come to my room to work on those slides, or should we go to yours?"

"I have the suite. Let's go to mine."

"Lucky dog. I had to settle for a basic room."

"That's because you're not presenting. You're attending. That's the difference. They didn't know I count on you to help with all the technical stuff."

Darrin laughed. "Confessing your inability to work computers might've discouraged them from asking you to speak. I'll keep your secret." He grinned. "Besides, my employer is paying the bill, so I'm not hurting. I just would've liked the suite better."

"Why?"

"I might've been able to persuade Sally to come. She could've brought Benjamin and Jarod."

"A three year old and a two month old would've been hard in a hotel. Maybe you can bring Sally to next year's conference when she's not nursing."

"You're right. This year would have been hard."

"How long do you think we need to work on those slides?" Garrett turned toward the elevators, and Darrin followed, taking one last look at the shapely woman and young girl splashing in the pool.

"A couple of hours should do it. They just need a little tweaking, plus we need to add a few slides to include information from the study that came out last week."

Garrett nodded, and the two men disappeared behind the elevator doors.

About half an hour later, Cathee stepped out of the pool. The play had been invigorating. She enjoyed relaxing with her daughter.

A stack of clean white towels sat on a stray table. She pulled a towel from the stack and handed it to Christina, then took another for herself. After drying off, she pulled on her wrap. "Let's go change then we can eat a bedtime snack. Did you want to stay here or go somewhere else?"

"Let's eat here. I like the trees in the restaurant. They're awesome."

Cathee laughed. "They are. It's just like having a picnic, isn't it?"

Christina clapped her hands. "An inside picnic! Thanks, Mommy."

After sharing a decadent chocolate dessert in the formal restaurant, they headed back up to their room. They got ready for bed then turned on the TV and found America's Funniest Videos. A few minutes into the show, Cathee heard Christina's deep breathing from the neighboring bed. The trip had tired her out. Cathee pressed the "off" key on the remote and switched off the bedside lamp. She rolled over and sighed appreciatively. _Nice. A soft mattress._ Her heavy lids closed. Moments later, her breathing was as deep as her daughter's.

# Chapter 2, Breakfast

Cathee woke to morning light blazing across her bed. She shut her eyes against the light and croaked, "Christina, could you please close the drapes?"

"Sorry, Mommy. I just wanted to know if I could see the zoo from here. Are we going soon?"

"Right after breakfast." Cathee rolled out of bed and walked barefoot to the dresser and pulled out jeans and underwear, stopping at the closet to grab a t-shirt. "I'm going to take a quick shower, then we can go down to breakfast. Why don't you get ready for the day while I'm in the shower?"

"Okay."

"You can turn on some cartoons while I'm getting dressed."

Christina ran to the TV to find the kids' channel while Cathee was shutting the bathroom door. The blare of the TV was quickly drowned by the sound of running water.

Thirteen minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom. Five minutes for the shower and five to curl her hair. Her makeup routine was minimal. She wasn't interested in any men, but she felt naked without mascara on her blond eyelashes, brow liner, a light line of khaki green around her hazel eyes, a touch of color on her lips, and a dust of powder to hide the shine.

"Christina, please brush out those snarls. We can't go downstairs with your hair looking like that."

"Sorry, Mommy. I forgot." She ran to the bathroom to grab her brush and spent the next few minutes working the snarls out of her curls. Unlike Cathee's, Christina's curls were natural. "Can we go now?" Christina twirled in front of Cathee to show off her hair.

"You look beautiful." Cathee bent down to kiss Christina's forehead, tucked the key card into her purse, then they headed out the door.

She checked the time on her cell phone while they were waiting for the elevator. It was almost 8. She'd meant to be down for breakfast by 7:30, but she'd forgotten to order a wakeup call, and her cell phone alarm wasn't set for Saturday mornings.

Time at the zoo was better spent during the relatively cool morning hours. Even though it was only mid-June, the Kansas sun got too hot later in the day. Hopefully, they could still make it to the zoo when the gates opened at 9:00. She wanted to be finished by noon. They could spend the afternoon doing something in air conditioned buildings.

They had the elevator to themselves. Cathee didn't like crowds, so she was grateful. As they stepped out onto the main floor, she suppressed a sigh. A line of guests snaked to the restaurant. Half the residents seem to have decided to eat just then. They joined the slow procession. Christina dipped her fingers in the fountain pool while they waited. She looked up at her mother. "Can we swim again tonight?"

Cathee smiled. "That was fun, wasn't it?" She paused while Christina nodded, then continued. "I'm not sure what our plans are for the day, so it depends on how late we get back and how tired I am."

Although Christina looked disappointed, she didn't argue, and turned her attention back to the fountain. "I wish we could have a fountain at home."

Cathee replied absently, "That would be cool, wouldn't it?"

She was mentally planning the week. They would be leaving on Thursday. That didn't leave a lot of time, but they should be able to get through all the places of interest by then. Tomorrow was Sunday. Other than a trip to church, she didn't have any plans. She intended to serve cereal for breakfast and sandwiches for lunch and dinner, but she'd have to remember to buy a cooler for the milk and sandwich supplies. Their room wasn't equipped with a fridge.

By the time they were seated for breakfast, it was 8:20. The restaurant was full. As Cathee looked over the crowd, she didn't see any other children. Normally, she wouldn't have expected a Saturday to be this busy.

She noticed a white board sign. "Welcome to the Annual Adoption and Family Therapy Conference." She wondered what the conference included. Since there weren't any other children in the room, families must not be attending. Maybe it was just for social workers and therapists. Another sign said "Golf Tournament 4:00. Social Hour 6:30. Dinner and RAD presentation 7:00 \- 9:00. Garrett Andrews, Presenter." Her brow furrowed. What on earth was RAD? Some clinical condition, she imagined.

The arrival of their waitress interrupted her thoughts. "Hi. My name is Lilly. I'll be your server this morning." She smiled warmly. "Have you decided what you would like?"

Cathee nodded and gave her order, then turned to Christina. "Did you want the French toast with maple syrup?" It was her usual choice when they ate out for breakfast.

Christina's long curls bounced as she nodded.

Cathee turned to Lilly. "We'd both like hot chocolate as well. Thanks."

They had just started into their breakfast when they were interrupted.

Garrett had watched as the honey blond woman and the dark haired girl had been seated. It wouldn't be too hard to work his way into the restaurant and ask for a seat. All the tables were full.

He stood at the side of the room watching, trying to plan an appropriate introduction. He'd run through several imaginary scenarios before the waitress returned with their drinks and appetizers. After the waitress left, he wove his way through the tables to the one where they were seated. He paused a moment before saying anything. He was surprised that his pulse was racing. He felt like a teenager on a first date. It was ridiculous, but he couldn't stop his palms from sweating.

The woman was reading the Wall Street Journal. Probably one that had been left at her room by the hotel. He noticed with some satisfaction that she wasn't wearing jewelry. _That doesn't mean she isn't married_ , he cautioned himself. _Some women don't like rings_. He could feel his nerves tensing. It was now or never. "Hi."

Cathee looked up from the newspaper she'd been perusing, then carefully put down the spoon she had poised above her moist pink grapefruit. She raised a quizzical brow then hesitated a brief moment before saying, "Hello."

"There aren't any empty tables. Mind if I join you?"

Her glance raked over him, noting his clear blue eyes, sandy blond hair, and athletic physique. She didn't recall ever seeing him before. He was almost as tall as...Then she stopped herself. She didn't want to think of _him_. Not now. Not ever. Grudgingly, she replied, "I suppose not."

_Some welcome_ , he thought. _What did I expect? Her ice is going to take some time to thaw._ He sat at the table across from the woman, nodded to the dark-haired child sitting beside her, then asked, "How old is she?"

Cathee's eyes narrowed suspiciously, but she answered. "Four."

"What's her name?"

She pressed her lips together, and a slight frown formed.

The little girl blurted out, "Christina." She bounced on her seat until Cathee turned her slight frown her direction, then Christina sat back quietly and stared at the man, a curious look in her brown eyes.

"Where are you from?"

Cathee shrugged. "All over."

Before this conversation–if it could be called that–had an opportunity to get much worse, the waitress appeared.

"Hi. I'm Lilly. What would you like this morning?"

"I'll take whatever Ms....?"

"Laurenson." Cathee's lips turned up in an unwilling smile.

"Ms. Laurenson is having."

As Lilly walked away, the man asked, "Does anything come before?"

"Before what?"

"Laurenson."

"Yes." Another tight smile.

She wasn't going to budge on this one. "Is it Miss, Mrs. or Ms.?"

The crease between her brows became more pronounced. She let out a frustrated sigh. "You can call me Cathee. That's C A T H E E." She paused for effect. "And I don't like being called Cat."

The little girl was watching the exchange with interest, her wide eyes absorbing the scene.

"Nice to know. I'm glad we're on such good terms." Despite her murderous look, he said, "By the way, my name is Garrett. Garrett Andrews."

"Well, _Mister_ ," she sounded ominous, "Andrews, I'm glad to have met you." She started to rise. What was _the_ guest presenter doing at _her_ table?

He reached out a placating hand. "Wait. Christina hasn't finished yet, and I don't think you have, either."

Since Lilly was just arriving with her waffles and his grapefruit, she could hardly claim she was. Christina had hardly touched her French toast and hot chocolate.

"You're right, of course." She sent him an apologetic look. "I haven't been very nice. I hope I didn't spoil your appetite."

He chuckled. "Not a chance." He stared down at the halved grapefruit and scooped out a spoonful with the serrated spoon. He tried to pretend it was his favorite morning food.

Amusement crinkled the corners of her eyes. "I should have warned you the grapefruit is bitter. Even the salt didn't help." She took a bite of her waffles. "These are better–they're even hot."

Christina, who had been watching intently, addressed Garrett, "Are you gonna stay here?"

"Um...uh..." he looked at Cathee questioningly.

"Yes, Sweetheart, he's going to eat breakfast with us."

"Why?"

Cathee raised an eyebrow in question.

He answered quickly, "All the other tables are full. Besides, I don't like eating alone, do you?"

Christina shook her head and shyly smiled at him. "No."

Cathee glanced down at the girl. "No more questions. Just eat."

"OK, Mommy."

Garrett caught Cathee's eye and smiled. "Does she always ask so many questions?"

"Almost always." She sighed and shot him an exasperated look.

Lilly interrupted with the delivery of Garrett's entree. He quickly dove into his waffles. After a couple of bites, he stopped. "You were right. These are good."

Cathee smirked. "I usually am."

They ate in silence for a few minutes. Even Christina seemed absorbed in pushing her remaining French toast around her plate.

When Cathee dropped her napkin onto her plate, Garrett asked, "What are your plans for the day?"

Cathee shot him a wary look. "I'm not sure. I needed to do some shopping, but..."

Christina interrupted. "Mommy promised we'd go to the zoo."

Garrett smiled. " _We're_ going to the zoo, then?"

Cathee's eyes narrowed at his emphasis on the word _we_. "I wasn't planning on sharing my day..."

"You can pretend I'm not even there. I won't make a sound." He held up his right hand. "Scouts honor."

Her eyebrows went up in surprise, then a crease grew between her brows as she asked, "Are you a scout?"

He smiled. "Be prepared. That's my motto." He winked conspiratorially at Christina.

"Please, Mommy, ple-ea-ase, can he come with us?" she begged.

Cathee sighed. Garrett and Christina smiled at each other in obvious delight. They knew they'd won.

Garrett turned his gaze to Cathee. "When would you like to go?"

"I'll meet you in the lobby in ten minutes."

"Great. I'll see you then."

He stood up and helped Cathee with her seat. It reminded her of when her parents had gone out to eat. She thought that habit had died with her dad. She smiled her thanks, reached for Christina's hand, and headed to the elevator.

Christina looked up at her when they entered the elevator. "Why are you shaking, Mommy?"

Cathee quickly pulled her hand away. "I...I must be cold." Obviously, being so near a man had impacted her. She'd been near ward members, students and teachers, other auditors, contractors, but this was different. He'd been looking _at_ her, not with her. She could handle males when they were treating her like a peer. Someone looking at her the way Garrett did, as if he was very aware of her as a woman, flooded her with all the emotion created that night. She was shaking with terror, and her hands were sweating. Logically, she knew what was happening. She knew she was reliving an event that should be forgotten, but her body wouldn't react any other way.

Christina stared, her brow furrowed in concern. "Are you sick, Mommy? You don't look so good."

Cathee swallowed hard. "I don't feel so good." She managed to make it to her room then dropped into the overstuffed chair next to the window. She put her head between her legs. Her muffled voice said, "Christina, please go brush your teeth. I'll brush mine in a minute."

Christina was subdued. "Okay, Mommy."

Cathee took several deep breaths. When the queasy feeling disappeared, she rose on shaky legs to head to the bathroom. She needed to brush her teeth.

Christina watched her closely, the concern clear on her face. "Are you too sick to go to the zoo?"

Cathee gritted her teeth, then relaxed. "No. I'll be fine. Let's go." It was time to face her fear. It had been almost six years. She needed to get over what had happened. An innocent trip to the zoo would help her overcome her fear. She knew it. But getting there wasn't going to be easy. As they waited at the elevator, she clenched her fists and then forced them to open and relax. Surely the presenter at an adoption and family therapy convention couldn't be dangerous, could he? Besides, they'd be in a public place. She looked down at her athletic shoes. And she was wearing shoes suitable for running. She hadn't worn heels since... She stopped herself. She didn't want to think about it.

As they headed into the lobby, she noticed for the first time how good looking Garrett was. She hadn't seen any man that way for too many years. He was glancing at his watch and then smiled when he saw them. She shyly smiled back, and the tenseness in her gut loosened. _I wonder how old he is. Early thirties, maybe? It's hard to tell_.

Christina ran up to him and grabbed his hand, then turned and reached for Cathee's. "Let's go." She seemed to have forgotten all about her mother's recent misery, which was just as well. Cathee wanted to forget it, too.

"Let's take my car. Christina's car seat is in it, and it's a pain to transfer. Do you want to drive?" Cathee dangled the keys.

"Uh...sure." Garrett looked perplexed but obediently took the keys. He was surprised she'd trust him with her car.

Cathee didn't want to explain why she didn't feel comfortable driving. She wasn't sure her earlier episode wouldn't return, and she didn't want to risk passing out or getting sick while driving.

Garrett opened both passenger doors, waited while Cathee buckled in Christina, then shut both doors after Cathee climbed in. The car purred as he moved it out of the lot. "Nice car." He approved.

"Thanks. It was my parent's car."

"Did they get a new one?"

Cathee stared out the window a moment before answering. "No. I inherited it when they died."

"Oh. I'm sorry. That must be hard."

Cathee snuck a look at him. He seemed genuinely sorry. "It has been, but we manage." They were both quiet after that, lost in their own thoughts.

She was trying to adjust to having a male so near, and it wasn't as difficult as she had imagined. She watched his hands on the wheel and surprised herself by examining his ring finger. _Ringless_. She hadn't bothered to look before. She relaxed against the familiar seat and focused on the scenery. The zoo was only a few minutes from the hotel, so it didn't take long before they were pulling into the free parking area.

Garrett glanced at Cathee. "Did you have any preferences on where to start?"

She shook her head, then said, "No. We should have time to cover everything. I was planning on staying until noon. Will that work for you?"

"Yes. I just have to be back at the hotel by 6:00."

"Oh. That's right. I forgot you have to be back for your presentation."

"How'd you know about that?"

Cathee smiled. "There was an announcement in the restaurant."

Red raced up Garrett's face. "I forgot my name was on it."

"In black and white." She laughed. "I was wondering what the special presenter was doing at my table."

Garrett watched a little too carefully as he parked the car, then glanced at her. "I saw you last night when you arrived. I was curious to know what you were doing at the conference." He paused hesitantly, then asked, "Is Christina adopted?"

Cathee stared at him a moment, trying to decide how much she wanted to share about her daughter. Finally, she answered. "No. She's mine." She turned to look at Christina and smiled, then turned her attention back to Garrett. "I'm not attending the conference. We're just on vacation." Her eyes turned curious. "What's the conference for, anyway?"

"It's training therapists and social workers on foster care and adoption issues–mostly how they impact children and how the children can be assisted through the changes in their lives."

"The notice about your presentation said something about RAD. What's that?"

"Reactive Attachment Disorder. It can happen in a variety of circumstances, but it's quite common in children who have been in foster care since they were very young–especially those kids that are shuffled from home to home. It is critical for proper social development for children to bond with a primary care giver." He laughed quietly. "I sound like I'm on a soap box, don't I?"

"Not at all. I'm sure it's fascinating stuff."

"I'd invite you to come, but the event has been sold out for weeks."

"Don't worry. I'm here to spend time with my daughter. I don't have anyone I can leave her with here. The hotel has a day care service, but I prefer to leave her with people I know."

Garrett nodded his approval. "It's best to be cautious." He turned off the ignition then handed the keys to Cathee. "If you're interested, you can come to my suite tomorrow and watch the slide show."

Cathee dropped her eyes. She wasn't sure she was ready to visit a man's hotel room. "Umm... let's see how the day goes."

He nodded. Noncommittal. He couldn't expect anything else.

He stepped out, shut his door, then quickly walked to Cathee's side. She had already stepped out, so he opened Christina's door. Cathee unbuckled the booster seat and stood back while Garrett shut both doors. She clicked the remote lock, reached for Christina's hand, then headed for the entrance.

Christina held out her hand to Garrett, who grinned and took it. At least one of the females in the group wanted him there.

# Chapter 3, Zoo

When they arrived at the entrance, Cathee paid for her and Christina. She didn't give Garrett an opportunity to offer. This was feeling like a date, and she wasn't ready for that kind of a step. He made no comment as he moved up to pay his own fee. He was keeping the promise he had made at the breakfast table.

They wandered through the rainforest exhibit and the zoo in companionable silence, occasionally stopping to read information about the animals to Christina. The trees provided essential shade and kept the temperature at a reasonable level, although the air was getting noticeably hotter as the morning progressed. The humid air was becoming hot, even in the shade.

As they reached the bear exhibit, Christina asked, "Can we sit on these benches? I'm getting tired."

Cathee admitted, "I'm getting tired, too. A break sounds nice."

Garrett smiled as they all sat down. "We're about finished with the zoo. How would you ladies like to join me for lunch?"

Christina couldn't hide her excitement. "Really? Where are you going to take us?"

His face turned serious. "I thought I'd let you pick. How does that sound?"

"Cool."

Cathee laughed. "Be careful who you let pick or we'll be eating Happy Meals."

"I'm fine with that." His calm demeanor matched his voice.

Cathee was feeling soothed by his presence, and that surprised her.

Garrett fished the camera out of his pocket. He'd taken several pictures during their walk through the zoo. He stood up to take a picture of Cathee and Christina framed by the trees at the bear exhibit when they were all startled by the ringing of Cathee's phone.

She pulled it out of her purse and stared at it a moment. It wasn't a familiar number. Indecision flickered across her face, then she answered the call. "Hello?"

"Hello. Is Cathee Laurenson available?" The voice sounded crisp and assured. Professional. Not a telemarketing call.

"This is she."

"This is Alec Mills. I'm a prosecuting attorney in New York."

"Oh?" her voice rose in question.

"I understand you're acquainted with Katie Anderson, now Katie Murray, and her younger sister, Margaret."

"Yes. I know them well." Katie and Margaret had attended Young Women in Salina regularly even though they weren't members. Katie and Serra Lanning had been best friends in high school. That was before Serra had become a model and before Katie had joined the church and married Serra's ex-boyfriend, Jack. Cathee wondered what connections the attorney might have with them. "Why?"

"I'm prosecuting a murder/rape suspect. Margaret said you used to date him. His name is Juan Ortiz."

Cathee's eyes went wide. "Juan Ortiz?" Her voice was a stricken whisper. The blood rushed from her face. She quickly dropped her head between her knees as her fingers went slack, and she dropped the phone. She covered her face with her hands and started to rock back and forth moaning. "I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't. I just can't."

Alarmed, Garrett sat next to her on the bench and put his arm around her. "It's ok, Cathee. You're all right. It'll be ok."

Her eyes refocused as she looked at Garrett. She whispered in horror. "You have no idea what you're talking about. Nothing is ok. Nothing will ever be ok again." Then she buried her face in his shirt and shook with hysterical sobs.

Garrett stroked her hair and continued his mantra. "It's ok. Everything will be all right." He'd been a therapist long enough to know a good cry was healthy. She obviously needed some kind of release, and he wondered what the call had been about. _Who is this Juan Ortiz?_

Christina was standing next to the bench. She had picked up the phone when Cathee dropped it.

"If you'd like to make a call, please hang up and try again." Garrett could hear the annoying recital. Whoever had upset Cathee had obviously hung up.

As her sobs subsided, Garrett pulled out a clean handkerchief and helped her wipe up. "Feeling any better?"

Cathee turned horrified eyes on him. She whispered hoarsely, "I...I can't even think."

She cleared her throat. She'd never leaned on a man in all these years, but the comfort of his arms was like balm to her soul. She needed to talk to someone. She had no friends. No family. Christina was too young to understand. "I need to call him back. He is a prosecuting attorney in New York. He needs some information from me." She turned to Christina. "Honey, can you see if you can spot the bears? They are supposed to be sleeping under those trees." Cathee thought it would be far enough away so she wouldn't hear her conversation.

Christina nodded, her eyes full of tears. She'd never seen her mother behave like this.

Cathee continued, "I need you to look at the bears for a few minutes. I'll come and get you when I'm done with my phone call, ok?"

"Okay." Christina's voice sounded small and scared. Cathee stood up to hug her tightly, then let her go.

She reached her hand out, and Christina gave her the phone. "This shouldn't take long. I'm sorry, Honey."

"It's ok, Momma. I want to see the bears." As she turned toward the bear habitat, Cathee could see the tear tracks on her daughter's face. She bit her trembling bottom lip while she dialed the last number received.

Alec picked it up on the first ring. "Is this Cathee?"

"Yes, it is."

"I'm sorry I upset you."

"I know you didn't mean to. I just...don't like to think about Juan."

"I understand." He paused a moment, as if giving her time to get composed. "I usually don't work on Saturdays, but this case came up this week. I was talking to a...friend who knows Margaret, and it took me a couple of days to find your phone number. I thought it was important to follow up as quickly as possible." He paused again, letting the information sink in, before he continued, "Is there anything in your relationship that would impact the case I'm prosecuting?"

Cathee could hardly get the word out. It came out in a hoarse whisper. "Yes."

"I know this is hard for you, but was there any time in your relationship where Juan could have been considered to be abusive?"

Again, Cathee could hardly get the word out. "Yes." The memories were too vivid. Too real. She was shaking, and Garrett put his arm protectively around her shoulders. Something big was happening. He didn't know the details, but he could see the impact the conversation was having on her. He knew she needed quiet support.

Alec cleared his throat, almost as uncomfortable with the interview as she was. "Would you be willing to testify to that in court?"

Cathee went white, the blood dropping to her feet. If Garrett's arms hadn't been there for support, she would have dropped to the pavement. He guided her gently back to the bench and helped her sit down. "Would I have to go to New York?"

"Yes. You would need to testify in person. The state will pay your travel expenses and a small amount for your time in court. Hopefully, we will only need your testimony one trial day. Would you be able to take time off for court?"

"I...I'm pretty sure I can." She wasn't sure what the policy at the DCAA was on such matters, but she was fairly certain she could work something out with her supervisor. She shuddered. She hadn't ever wanted to see Juan again. This time, she'd be facing him in court–as an accuser. Could she do it?

Alec sounded uncomfortable with his next question. "Margaret said there might have been a child. Were the rumors correct?"

Garrett could feel Cathee shaking. Another hoarse whisper. "Yes. He's the father of my daughter."

"Did you keep your daughter?"

"Yes. She's with me now."

"Have you had a paternity test done?"

"No."

"Was the relationship that created your daughter consensual?"

Cathee dropped her head between her knees and breathed deeply, then sat up and answered. "No. It was not."

"I'm sorry. Given the nature of the crimes that were committed, I need to know this information. Would you mind going to the Mercy Medical Clinic in Wichita to have a paternity test run on your daughter?"

"Does it hurt?"

"No. The new tests don't even take blood. They just do a swipe of saliva inside the mouth. They need a swipe from your daughter and one from you."

"When do you want the tests done?"

"The sooner, the better. We'd like this case to go to court quickly."

"I'm in Topeka until Thursday. I can have the test done in Wichita on Friday."

"That will be fine. I also need you to talk to an officer to give a statement. Could you contact your local police when you get back to Wichita?"

"I can do that."

"Let the officer know it's regarding a New York case. The number is 10-1469281."

"Just a minute. Let me grab a pen." Cathee opened her purse and scrambled through the contents to find a pen. She pulled out one of the Mapquest pages she'd printed for the trip. It was a good thing she worked with numbers. It made it easier for her to remember. "Case number 10-1469281?" She scribbled the numbers on the back of the page as she spoke.

"That's it. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me. Is there anything else I should know?"

"This is...very difficult for me. I'll try to remember everything, but I've spent the last six years trying forget."

"I understand." He paused again, cleared his throat, and continued, "There's a victim's compensation fund in New York. I think I can get some funds sent to pay for some therapy, if you feel you need it."

"Thanks. I'll consider it."

"No problem. Please let me know when you go in for the paternity tests. I want the results as soon as possible."

"I'll let you know when I go in."

As she hung up the phone, the fact that Garrett was slowly rubbing her back in long soothing strokes sunk in. She was sure his presence had made the difference. She didn't think she would have been able to talk to the attorney without him there.

She threw her arms around his neck and started to sob again. "Oh, Garrett. This is so hard."

His voice was low and soothing. "You're a strong woman. I know you can do this. You'll be ok."

Somehow, as his voice sunk into her consciousness, she knew he was right. She would survive this. Things would be ok. As she started to re-focus and calm herself, fresh tears burst out. The realization that she was probably the cause of some other woman's death gripped her. "It's my fault. It's all my fault."

Confused by this fresh grief, Garrett finally interjected, "What's your fault? I don't understand."

She managed to choke out through sobs. "Juan...killed someone. A...woman. If I would have gone...to the authorities..." Fresh sobs wracked her body, and she finished with a weak whisper, "she wouldn't be dead."

From the little snippets of conversation he'd heard, Garrett knew Juan Ortiz was Christina's father. He knew Cathee didn't want to think about him, and he knew Juan was a killer. Judging from her meltdown, he guessed that he was seeing a traumatized rape victim. He'd seen Post Traumatic Stress Disorder before, but he'd only addressed it in the safe confines of an office.

This was his first experience in watching a meltdown in an unsecure environment. His arms wound around Cathee as her body shook, and he continued his gentle soothing. "It's ok, Cathee. It'll be all right. Everything will work out."

He knew discussing how she wasn't responsible for the death of another human wouldn't help at the moment. She needed to calm herself. She needed to be able to think rationally, and she needed some time to think things through. Nothing he could say would fix the pain she was feeling at that moment. She needed to work through it herself. All he could do was help her calm herself so she could think again.

Several minutes later, she was calm enough to reach for the handkerchief he'd been holding. She wiped her eyes and smiled tremulously. "I'm quite a mess, aren't I?"

He smiled gently. "You look beautiful to me."

A flash of something–fear, maybe–hit Cathee's eyes and then disappeared. "I'm not very hungry right now." She stood up shakily and glanced at the clock on her cell phone. "It's almost one. Let's get Christina. She'd probably like something to eat."

As she turned to look for her daughter, she was horrified to see Christina curled into a fetal position, crying quietly. She rushed over to her side. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"I don't...like to see you...cry." Christina whispered through her sobs.

Cathee picked up Christina and stroked her hair. She repeated the same words Garrett had been saying. "It's ok, Honey. Everything will be ok. Mommy was just feeling sad for a minute, but everything will be fine."

Christina nodded her head, then buried her face into Cathee's neck. "It's ok, Sweetie. Everything is fine." Christina nodded again, and Cathee could feel her calming down. "Do you want something to eat?"

Christina shook her head. Cathee knew she needed to model good behavior, so she turned to Garrett. "Let's go somewhere with some comfort food. It would do all of us some good to eat something."

"I know a good restaurant. It's on the other side of town."

Cathee stared at him a moment. "I trust you." Fresh tears started to swim in her eyes, but this time it was with gratitude. She hadn't trusted a male with her safety in almost six years. She was feeling the sun's rays behind the cloud, and they were warm. "I'm sure you'll pick something right for us."

Garrett's eyes were suspiciously wet as he put his arm around Cathee and led her back to her car.

# Chapter 4, Respite

As they drove through Topeka, Cathee stared out the window. Instead of dwelling on the events of the past, she focused on the present. The beauty of the blue sky, the trees swaying gently in the wind, the colorful flowers planted along the streets, the houses as they drove by. Focusing on the present helped her remain calm, but as she watched the passing scenery, she couldn't help thinking about the comfort Garrett had been during the difficult phone call.

She snuck a look at him. His jaw was set, and he looked a million miles away. _I wonder what he's thinking about. Does he think I'm in extreme need of a psychological evaluation?_ She caught herself. _That's dwelling on the past. I need_ _to focus on the here and now. On being a mother to Christina._

She turned to examine her daughter's face and was relieved to see her contentedly watching the scenery. Christina felt Cathee's gaze, caught it, and smiled. Cathee smiled back. "Are you hungry now?"

Christina nodded.

Garrett spoke up. "We're almost there. About five more minutes."

They pulled up to a two story building. Cathee raised curious eyebrows.

Garrett responded. "I know it doesn't look like much, but it has the best fried chicken I've ever tasted." He suddenly looked concerned. "I hope you like chicken. You said comfort food. Fried chicken and mashed potatoes came to mind."

Cathee smiled. "Fried chicken sounds great. I'm actually hungry now." She was surprised to realize she _was_ hungry. The drive across town had calmed her enough so she could pay attention to her body's needs. She snuck a look at Garrett. As a RAD specialist, he probably realized they all needed a few minutes to calm down. She was suspicious he picked the restaurant more for its location than for the quality of food, but she was willing to give the food a try. After unbuckling Christina, she followed him to the restaurant and walked through the door as he held it open.

The interior was decorated to look like a barn with various farming tools hanging on the rustic gray wood walls. Dispersed among the tools were framed black and white photos of farms and families. Christina pointed at one family and asked, "Who are those people, Mommy?"

"I don't know, Honey. Maybe we can ask the waitress when she comes to take our orders."

As they were seated, Christina pointed to the lamp anchoring the red and white checkered tablecloth. "What's that, Mommy?"

"It's an antique oil lantern. Before we had electricity, people used to light their homes with them. Only there was a string wick in them then, not the battery-powered light that's in there now."

"How come the light flickers?"

Cathee smiled. Christina must be back to normal. Her curiosity certainly was. "It's supposed to look like a fire. When a wick burns, the flame moves while it burns."

"How come?"

Garrett laughed. "That's a good question. I don't have an answer, do you?"

Cathee laughed, too. "No, I don't. I guess we'll have to Google that when we get home. Christina knows I don't like doing a lot of research on my cell phone. I'd spend all day looking things up." She doubted Christina would remember. She would have asked too many more questions before they ever got back to Wichita to remember that she wanted to know why candle flames flickered.

When the waitress arrived, Christina forgot to ask about the people on the wall.

"Hi. My name is Mandy. I'll be your server today." She smiled as she handed Christina a coloring mat and a small bucket of crayons. They were all the distraction Christina needed.

Mandy directed her question to Cathee. "Have you decided on a beverage?"

"A glass of water with a slice of lemon, please, and some apple juice for Christina."

"I'll have water too, but I'll pass on the lemon." Garrett's pleasant baritone reminded Cathee of her father. _Christina's never had a Dad to read the Sunday Funnies to her. No Dad to toss her in the air, to laugh and to play with. No Dad to admire her dancing._ Memories of her own father flashed through her mind. _Have I been fair to her?_ She shook her head slightly to get her thoughts back to the present.

As Mandy left to get their drinks, Cathee raised her eyebrows. "You don't like lemons?"

Garrett shrugged. "I don't get the lemon slice thing."

She smiled. "Maybe it's a female thing. My dad didn't care for them, either." She didn't want to discuss the fact that she hadn't dated anyone since Juan–there, she'd actually thought his name without flinching from the pain. She hadn't paid any attention to what the guys drank at the office, but she couldn't recall any of them ordering lemon slices with their water.

When the drinks arrived, Garrett ordered a salad and the fried chicken entree. Cathee decided she wanted a salad also, then ordered the chicken fried steak. That sounded like her kind of comfort food. Christina ordered macaroni and cheese with apple slices as the side. Cathee smiled. Her daughter was back to normal, alright. The apples were a dead give away.

Christina's apple slices arrived at the same time as the salads. Cathee was impressed. Normally, restaurants didn't bother to serve any food with the salads. She looked at Garrett. "They must cater to families. How did you find this restaurant?"

She was surprised to see pain in his eyes, and he dropped his gaze a moment. When he looked at her again, the pain was gone. "I dined here a few times with my wife, Jill, before she passed away. It was a favorite of her parents."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

"No. It's ok. I haven't come here since she...died." The catch in his voice let Cathee know Jill's death had been difficult for him. She wondered how long Jill had been dead and what had caused it, but she didn't want to ask. She wasn't sure where he was in his grieving process, and she didn't want to open the kind of pain for him that had been opened for her. Garrett caught Cathee's eyes. "It just felt like a good time to come."

Cathee stared at him a moment and then dropped her gaze to the green salad topped with ranch dressing. She wasn't sure what to say. She took a bite of the salad and looked up. "This dressing tastes really fresh."

He smiled. "They make it on-site every day. I'm glad you like it."

Christina joined in. "My apples are yummy, Mommy. They crunch."

"Crunchy apples are the best, aren't they, Sweetie?"

Christina nodded, then everyone ate quietly for a few minutes. Even Christina seemed absorbed in her own thoughts.

The entrees arrived just as they were finishing their salads.

"Oh, Mommy, look at the cheese!" Christina's macaroni noodles were smothered in melted cheddar cheese.

Cathee smiled. "I'm sure it tastes a lot better than the stuff I make." She caught Garrett's eyes. "I'm afraid mine comes straight out of a box."

He smiled. "I have to confess scratch cooking isn't a talent of mine. My cupboards are full of boxes."

"I can certainly relate." Cathee giggled. "Cooking just isn't my thing."

Mandy's placement of her entree effectively cut off the conversation.

A thick white gravy dotted with fresh ground pepper was poured over her chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes. The new potatoes had been mashed with their skins. Reddish purple skins visible in the fluffy white potatoes added color to the plate, as did the brilliant green of the steamed green beans. Crispy brown bacon crumbles topped the green beans. Cathee smiled up at Mandy. "This looks delicious."

After Mandy left, she bit into the potatoes, then said, "I have to admit you have good taste. This is wonderful."

Garrett couldn't hide his delight. "I'm glad you like it. Sometimes these out-of-the way places really do have the best food."

After a few minutes of quiet concentration on his meal, he glanced at his watch. "It's almost 2:30. Did you have anything special planned the rest of the day?"

Cathee shook her head as she swallowed her bite of chicken fried steak. "I was hoping to see the Charles Curtis House Museum, but it's only open until 3:00 on Saturday."

"Who is Charles Curtis?" Garrett was curious.

"He was the first Native American to serve as Vice President of the United States. He served under Herbert Hoover. His mother died when he was just three, and he was raised by his mother's parents on the Kaw Indian Reservation." Her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. "In addition to his service as Vice President, he served 16 years in the House of Representatives. After he served in the House, he served most of four terms as Senator. His final term was cut short when he became the Vice President."

"Sounds like you know a lot about him. You must be interested in history."

"If you look at history as simply the stories of people who once lived, it's fascinating. I have to admit I didn't care for history until just recently. It seemed very dry when I took it in high school and college."

"What changed your mind?"

"I'm in a book club with a group of women in Wichita. A few months ago, the choice for the month was a book by Jennifer Niven called the _Ice Master_. Honestly," Cathee paused to laugh at herself, "if anyone had just recommended the book, I wouldn't have read it. Since we were going to discuss it, I started to read it, then I just couldn't put the book down."

"I think I've read that one. Isn't it about the doomed 1913 voyage of the Karluk?"

She nodded. "Yes, that's the one. Then I watched Ken Burns' Civil War documentary, and I was hooked on history." She sighed. "I might have to wait for the Charles Curtis house on a different visit. I'd have to call to schedule a tour since I missed today, and I'm not sure they'd be willing to open the house for just Christina and me."

Cathee paused, considering her day. "Since we missed the tour, I'll probably get some shopping done." She glanced at Christina, who was busy coloring on the paper mat that had been provided by the restaurant.

Cathee continued, "The next item on my list is the governor's mansion. The building itself is only open on Mondays, but the estate grounds are open year round. The park is bordered by the Kansas River on the north. There are several hiking trails on the property. I'm hoping we'll be able to see some wildlife on our walk. We might do a morning tour of the grounds sometime next week."

Garrett raised his eyebrows. "I didn't think there was so much of interest here. What else is there to see?"

"Well, there's the capitol building, of course." Garrett nodded while she continued, "Then there's a really nice museum with a nature tour. I thought we'd do that one morning. Outdoor activities aren't my thing when it gets too hot." Her voice grew animated. "There's a relatively new Brown vs. Board of Education National Historic Site I thought we'd check out. Then there's the railroad museum. It's combined with a Veterans' Memorial I'd like Christina to see."

Garrett looked surprised. "Sounds like your week is going to be full." He paused and looked hesitant, a far cry from the pushy man who had sat at her table that morning. "Do you think you'll have time to fit me into your schedule?"

Cathee dropped her gaze. She used her fork to toy with a couple of green beans left on her plate. "I...I'm not sure." Then she looked up. "What are _your_ plans for the week?"

"My presentation will be over today. The conference lasts until Wednesday, but I don't have to attend any of the classes."

"Aren't you required to take a certain number of courses to remain accredited?"

He nodded. "Yes, but I have enough for the year. Anything else I take is for my own information."

"Aren't there classes you want to attend?"

"There are a couple of classes that looked interesting, but they aren't critical." For a moment, Garrett looked almost bitter. "I have a lot of time on my hands. Most of the presenters use material I've read, so it's just hearing their take on the things I already know."

Cathee met his eyes and wondered again about his wife. She paused before asking, "Have you been to any of the places I mentioned?"

He shook his head. "I've never been one to visit historical sites, but I'm willing to give it a go this week."

"What do you like to do for fun?"

"I like to fish, and fishing in Kansas usually involves boating." He paused when he saw Cathee shudder. "What's wrong?"

"I hate boating."

"Why?"

"My parents died in a boating accident on Wilson Lake."

"Oh." He was quiet a moment, then said, "That must have been tough. How old were you?"

Cathee stared at her plate, then swallowed and looked up. "I was 16." Before he had a chance to ask, she continued, "That was seven years ago."

They were interrupted by the arrival of Mandy. "Are you ready to order dessert?"

Garrett looked at Cathee. "I can recommend the apple pie. It's served with a huge scoop of the house vanilla ice cream."

Christina looked up from her coloring. "Oh, Mommy that sounds yummy. Can we have some, please?"

Cathee laughed. "You must know Christina's weakness. She loves apples. I guess we'll have to try the pie."

Garrett looked at Mandy. "Three slices of apple pie, please."

The pies arrived before they had a chance to continue their conversation, and the deliciously flaky apple pie kept their undivided attention for the next few minutes.

Cathee dropped her crumpled napkin on her plate. "Oh. I so won't be able to move for a week." She pushed back from the table. "That was scrumptious."

Christina was still digging into her pie, but she looked up and nodded, then said through a mouth full of ice cream, "This _is_ yummy. Thanks for letting me have some, Mommy."

"You're welcome, Honey." Cathee smiled at her daughter and thought again how blessed she was to have her in her life.

When Mandy came to deliver the bill, Cathee didn't protest when Garrett accepted it. After all he had done for her that day, the last thing she wanted was to make a scene about who paid what.

To her surprise, she didn't mind in the least about thinking of their eat out as a date. It was the first one she'd been on since Juan–for the second time that afternoon, she'd thought of him without flinching–had destroyed her life.

It was time for her to pick up the pieces, and she was surprised by how natural she felt with Garrett. Maybe it was crying hysterically on his shirt. She snuck a quick glance at the shirt in question to see if it had dried. To her relief, it wasn't as badly stained as she had imagined it to be. Her waterproof mascara had stayed put, and if any lipstick had smeared, it was a light enough shade it wasn't showing.

Once again, Garrett helped her with her chair. As they were walking out, Garrett asked, "Did you want to shop now, or should we go back to the Capitol Plaza first?"

Cathee was silent while they walked to the car. She handed Garrett the keys as they approached, then said, "As much as I've enjoyed your company, I doubt you'd be very interested in a shopping trip. Let's head back. I'll just spend the afternoon with Christina." She studied his face to see if he showed disappointment, but his face was neutral, and she wasn't familiar enough with him to know how he might be feeling.

The trip back to the hotel was quiet, except when Christina pointed out the dome of the capitol building. "What's that, Mommy?"

"That's the State Capitol Building. We'll be touring it next week. I think you'll enjoy it."

"What's that statue on top?"

"It's an Indian. I can't remember if it was modeled after anyone in particular. Maybe we can ask the guide when we go."

"How come the top is green?"

"It's copper. Copper turns green in the weather."

"How come pennies don't turn green?"

Garrett laughed. "You need to carry an encyclopedia around, don't you?"

Cathee smiled. "It would help. Luckily, Christina is patient when I don't know the answer." She turned to look at her daughter. "We look at Google a lot, don't we?"

Christina nodded, then asked again, "Why don't pennies turn green?"

"Most pennies don't have a lot of copper. I think the other metals keep the coin from turning green, but I'm not sure."

"What other metals?"

Cathee rolled her eyes, but was careful not to let Christina see. "I don't know, Honey. We'll have to check on Google when we get home."

Christina seemed satisfied with that and turned her attention back to the window.

As they approached the hotel, Christina pointed with excitement, "That's our hotel. Can we go swimming now?"

"No, Sweetie. I want to do some shopping first. Remember, I said we'd go after our shopping trip."

Christina sighed. "Oh. Yeah. I forgot. Sorry, Mommy."

Cathee turned to smile at her daughter. "It's ok. Sometimes I forget, too."

They pulled into the drive that curved around the front fountain. Garrett stopped at the front doors. "I guess this is where I get out. Will I see you again?"

Cathee dropped her gaze, then met his. "I...I can't promise anything, but this isn't a huge hotel. I'm assuming we'll be bumping into each other."

Garrett realized that was the most he was going to get out of her, but he'd already won the bet with Darrin. He had to admit his association with Cathee was no longer about the bet.

He was surprised at the intensity of his feelings for this stranger. Somehow, his interest in this woman and her daughter had become personal, and he wasn't sure when that had happened. As a therapist, he had helped many people navigate through a wide assortment of problems, but he had been unable to work through his own issues. A personal relationship hadn't appealed to him since the death of Jill. Cathee was the first woman to pique his interest in all these years.

He stepped out of the car and watched her navigate her way to the driver's seat. Her response to his requests for more of her time had been disheartening, but he wasn't going to let her push him away. She had finally capitulated at the breakfast table, she'd turned to him in her grief, and he somehow felt if he was persistent, she would allow him to spend more of her vacation with her and Christina.

He smiled wistfully as he watched the car disappear down the street. Christina was an intelligent child, and he'd enjoyed their time together. She seemed very well adjusted for being without a father. He was impressed. Cathee must devote a lot of her time to her daughter. Christina wouldn't be so well adjusted if she didn't have at least one parent who spent quality time with her.

When the sedan was out of sight, he flipped open his cell phone and dialed. "Hello? Is this Darrin? You owe me."

"No way! That was fast. How did you get her to go anywhere with you? I expected her ice to take some time to thaw."

Garrett laughed. "Believe me, it wasn't easy. So, are you going to fork up for the golf tournament?"

Darrin grumbled half heartedly. "I guess so. That means I'll starve for dinner tonight."

Garrett laughed again. "You can't tell me that. Dinner was included with the conference. I don't even feel sorry for you."

"Yeah. Yeah. I guess that means I'm driving. Did you bring your clubs?"

"They're in the car. I need to change for golf." He looked down at the shirt that had been wet with tears. He didn't want a reminder of Cathee's breakdown. It was something he didn't want to dwell on, and he wasn't sure he'd ever get answers to all the questions swirling through his head.

"Let's meet in the lobby in ten minutes, then."

"Sounds great." Garrett shut his phone as he punched the seventh floor button on the elevator.

# Chapter 5, Facing the Past

As Cathee pulled away from the Capitol Plaza, she felt a dark cloud of fear creep over her. She checked her rear-view mirror and could see the same shadow of fear taking over Christina.

Suddenly, the thought she should sing Primary songs filled her mind. Tentatively, she started on _A Child's Prayer._ The feeling in the car changed immediately. As Christina recognized the song, she joined in with her mother.

They had sung through _I Am a Child of God, I Love to See the Temple_ and _Teach Me to Walk in the Light_ by the time they reached the mall. As they climbed out of the car to start their afternoon of air-conditioned shopping, they were laughing together. It was a far cry from the feeling as they had left the hotel.

They spent the afternoon sifting through the sales racks in a variety of stores. After they finished clothing shopping, they stopped at a super center to buy food supplies for the following day. Cathee remembered to buy a small cooler to hold the milk, sandwich spread, and meat that would be used for meals. "Christina, could you grab those paper plates and straws over there?" She directed Christina across the aisle from the plastic flatware she was picking up. "I think that's all we need for tomorrow."

"Can we have some Pop Tarts for breakfast?"

"I was planning on cereal, but we can try something different for our vacation."

"Thanks, Mommy." Christina beamed as she stopped to examine the variety of flavors. "Which one should we get?"

"I liked strawberry when I was little, but you might prefer brown sugar. That tastes a little like apple pie."

"What's this one?" Christina was pointing at a box that showed dark brown and white stripes dripping from the pastry.

"That's s'mores."

"Oh." Christina sounded excited. "That's what we made last week in preschool!" Her voice took on a pleading tone. "Can we have some, Mommy? Please?"

"Go ahead and add them to the cart." Cathee was curious. "How did you make s'more's in school? Did you have a fire?"

Christina giggled. "No. Mommy. There aren't any fires in preschool." She giggled again, then continued in a more serious tone. "The teacher used chocolate-covered smallbread cookies."

Cathee looked puzzled, then asked, "Do you mean _shortbread_ cookies?"

"Yeah. That's it. Shortbread." Christina's white teeth flashed in a smile. "Then I got to put a big marshmallow on the cookie, and the teacher put the plate in the microwave. We counted to ten while it cooked. The marshmallow puffed up really big. It was cool. Then I got to put another cookie on top. It was really yummy."

"What were you talking about in class?"

"Remember? It was 'F' week last week. We were learning about Family Fun. Lots of families go camping. Can we go camping?"

Cathee shuddered and made a face. "I don't think I could set up a tent. Besides, there'd probably be lots of bugs and snakes and mice. Ugh. Let's just pretend we're camping at the hotel. There are lots of trees in the atrium. Doesn't that count?"

Christina giggled. "If we have S'more Pop Tarts, we can pretend we're camping."

Cathee reached for the box. "You have a deal. I like that kind of camping."

After they had checked out and loaded into the car, Cathee turned to Christina. "Where would you like to eat?"

"I want a Happy Meal with Apple Dippers."

Cathee laughed. "I should have seen that one coming. Maybe we can find a Playland, too."

It was almost 8:00 by the time they arrived back at the hotel. As they headed to the elevator, Cathee could hear Garrett talking. Someone had left the conference room door open. She wondered how long his presentation would go. Cathee hesitated a moment. A desire to walk down the hall and peek in at him hit her. She mentally shook herself and continued on to the elevator. She couldn't let this man take over her vacation. They were strangers and were destined to remain that way.

She didn't want to open any kind of doors to her wounded heart. She feared the door had already been opened. Could she ever shut it again? And did she even want to go back to living the way she had? She could see her life wasn't exactly where she wanted it to be.

Christina looked up at Cathee as they waited for the elevator to arrive. "Can we go swimming, Mommy?" Her question broke into Cathee's thoughts.

Cathee shook her head. "It's late, Honey, and I'm really tired. Let's go swimming on Monday after we finish touring the governor's mansion."

Christina's face fell, but she didn't argue. She continued to stare at Cathee, her eyes skimming her mother's face.

Cathee could see Christina's concern and intuitively understood she was remembering her mother's breakdown that morning. She stooped to hug her. "We've both had a long day, Sweetie. I think we should go to bed. Don't you think so, too?"

Christina nodded as the elevator doors opened.

A few minutes after entering their room, they were both ready for bed. As they knelt for prayer, Cathee asked for a special blessing of peace and strength for the trials that lay ahead. She knew Christina didn't really understand what had happened, nor did she understand they were heading into some difficult times, but Cathee understood clearly. She knew they would need all the spiritual strength the Lord could give them.

When she said her personal prayer, she asked the Lord to help her be a good mother to Christina. She wasn't sure how much she should tell her daughter, and it ate at her. She'd never talked about Christina's father. Up to this time, Christina hadn't asked. But she also knew as Christina aged she would have many questions. She would need assistance in knowing how to answer them.

It didn't take Christina long to drop off. Cathee could hear her even breathing. She couldn't relax enough to join her daughter in slumber. As she tried to relax and breathe deeply, images she had long suppressed flashed across her mind.

After several minutes of tossing and turning, she got up and turned on the light next to the desk. She took the pad of paper sitting next to the lamp and started writing down all the things she could remember about the night she'd always tried to forget. She knew it was time to get the story out. She'd have to face an officer, and it would be much easier for her to hand over an already-written statement than to try to talk to another human about what had happened.

As she wrote, she tried to look at the event clinically, to tell details without filling the pages with the emotions, but she found she couldn't do it. All the pain and anguish she had carried came pouring out on the paper. As she wrote, she couldn't stop the tears that poured out. She grabbed a tissue and stifled her sobs so she wouldn't wake her daughter.

She carried a fresh pain now. The pain of knowing she had the power to stop a murder and hadn't done anything. If only she had turned Juan in. If only. If only. What a useless phrase.

As she wrote the events of that night, she could see everything from a different perspective. She felt a warm comfort spread through to her heart, and she could see clearly her reaction to what had happened did not cause Juan to kill another human being. Juan had chosen his behavior, and she could not be held responsible. As the thought impressed upon her, she knew it was inspiration. It was not a thought she would have had on her own. Her misplaced guilt had blinded her.

The two hours of writing had been a great relief. Just getting the story down on paper and dumping all her emotions helped release the dam she'd held inside. The dam had broken, and she wept. She wept for her pain, her past, her future, the dead woman, and for all the time she had spent feeling guilty when the guilt was not hers to bear. When she had spent all her tears, she fell into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Garrett was pleased with the presentation. Darrin had done an outstanding job on the slides, and the participants had come prepared with some thoughtful questions.

It was after 10:00 by the time he reached his room. He changed and crawled into the empty king sized bed, then lay awake.

His mind had turned to the woman with whom he had spent the earlier part of the day. Cathee. She was beautiful.

He was surprised to admit it, but she outshone his beloved dark-haired, dark-eyed Jill. He never thought he'd ever think that about anyone. Jill had a quiet beauty that shone from her face. She had been devout in her faith, and it showed in her every move. He realized his tender feelings for Cathee's daughter was her similarity to his beloved Jill. He couldn't help but think she looked just like Jill's daughter–his daughter–would have looked.

As he thought about Cathee, he could clearly recall the glint of sunshine on her honey gold hair, the way her hazel eyes lit up when she talked to her daughter, the way they darkened when she turned to him. Her obvious change in expression had hurt, and he wanted the way she looked at him to change. It _had_ changed some after that odd phone call. She had softened as she turned to him in anguish, and he saw it in her behavior.

He wondered about her past. Sixteen plus the seven years since her parents had died meant she was just twenty-three. That put her at 17 or 18 when Christina was born. She must've been in high school.

His hands clenched into fists. He found himself wanting to tear Juan into jagged pieces. He was surprised by the intensity of his feelings. He hadn't even met the guy. He'd just seen what mention of him had done to Cathee. Her meltdown had been hard to watch–even though he had experience as a therapist. Her anguish had hit him hard.

He thought about his own pain. About how difficult it had been to go on alone without his beloved Jill. His own heart had been damaged, but he realized it was time to move on. Time to heal. Jill wouldn't have wanted him to spend his life mourning her loss. She would have wanted him to be happy. He thought of her laughing face. About all the joy they'd had together, and he ached for the same kind of companionship they had shared. It was an ache he hadn't wanted to acknowledge.

He sat up and turned on the bedside lamp. It was time to write his feelings down. Feelings he had never admitted he had. He couldn't remember how many clients he had recommended writing therapy to. It was a proven technique, yet he'd never attempted to use it himself. As he wrote his feelings about the day Jill had died, all the pain he'd been holding in erupted. He stopped writing and let the tears flow. He shut his eyes. The pain of her loss engulfed him. After the intense wave dissipated, he opened his eyes and continued to write.

After he finished, he turned off the lamp and dropped into an exhausted slumber. Dreamless. The first night in almost six years he hadn't dreamed about his beloved Jill.

# Chapter 6, Lake Shawnee Ward

The incessant ringing of the telephone woke Cathee. Groggily, she picked up the phone. "Hello?"

An emotionless mechanical voice answered her greeting. "The time is now 7:00 am. If you would like a reminder call in ten minutes, please press the star key. Otherwise, please hang up. Thanks for choosing Capitol Plaza for your stay. Have a nice day."

Cathee's finger hovered over the star key. She was tempted to snooze but then realized she needed to get moving. She wanted to attend the 9:00 meetings and wasn't sure where the closest building was. She hung up the phone with a decisive click and maneuvered off the bed.

She stepped barefoot across the carpet, passing Christina's inert form. Cathee paused to stare down at her daughter. She had worked herself sideways across the bed and looked like she wasn't planning on moving any time soon. The previous day must have worn her out–both emotionally and physically. They'd done a lot of walking, and they'd certainly had a highly emotional day. Deciding not to wake her, Cathee stepped quietly into the bathroom to take care of her morning needs.

Her shower didn't take long. It only took a few moments to dress. She had chosen wrinkle-free material for their Sunday attire, so she didn't have to iron.

After she was ready for church, she moved to the desk where she'd done her emotional unloading the night before. She picked up the pages she'd written and tucked them into the zippered pouch in the side of her luggage. Then she sat back down at the desk and pulled out her cell phone. Her cell phone bill wouldn't support Christina's endless questions, but she didn't mind occasional usage to look up information she wanted. She went to the ward locator she was familiar with, http://lds.org/ maps.

She was pleased to see that the Lake Shawnee Ward met at 9:00. The building was less than three miles away. It shouldn't be too hard to find. There were only two turns on the Mapquest route.

Cathee moved quietly to the window and pulled open the drapes. The bright sun came streaming in, and she moved over to her daughter's bed. While stroking her hair, Cathee sang, "Good Morning to You" until Christina finally sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"It's time to get ready for church, Honey. You can have some milk and s'mores after you're ready."

Christina suddenly looked alert. "Can we eat our s'mores at the table by the trees?"

"I don't see why not. Get ready and we'll take our breakfast downstairs."

Christina hopped out of bed and ran to the bathroom. Cathee followed to fill the tub and wash Christina's hair. It was their Sunday morning routine.

After her bath, Christina wrapped up in a towel and sat on her bed. Cathee sat down next to her. She carefully combed out Christina's snarls. "Church starts at 9:00. When we get there, I'll take you to Primary. Then you can decide if you want to stay there or come to my class." She paused a moment to work out a knot in Christina's hair, then continued, "I think you'll like your Primary class a lot better than Relief Society and Sunday School. The adult classes aren't much fun for little kids."

"I know, Mommy, but I'm scared of people I don't know."

Cathee hugged her. "Members are the same everywhere. I'm sure they'll love to have you visit their class, but I'll let you decide when we get there."

"Thanks, Mommy." She reached around to hug her mother back. "I love you."

"I love you more."

"I love you the mostest."

Cathee laughed. "Time to get dressed, Pumpkin. We have a table waiting."

"We do?"

"Yes. Downstairs under the trees. I'm hungry. Let's hurry."

Christina jumped up, dropped her towel and pulled on her underclothes. Cathee helped her with her dress, then Christina pulled on her socks and finished with her dress shoes.

Cathee grabbed the box of Pop Tarts. "Can you get the two cartons of milk in the cooler?"

"Do we each get our own?"

"Yes. They're small." Cathee tucked the Pop Tarts into her purse along with the key card. She grabbed two straws and a couple of paper plates, then headed to the door.

"We're off to see the wizard" sprang spontaneously from her mouth.

"Dumbledore?"

Cathee laughed. "No. Not him. A different wizard. I was just thinking of an old movie I used to watch with my parents called the _Wizard of Oz_." She surprised herself by not feeling pain as she mentioned her parents. The tears from the night before had helped her deal with the pain from her ordeal with Juan and also her pain at losing her parents. The meltdown had been tough but also therapeutic. "Maybe we can watch it during this trip."

As they stepped out of the room, Cathee thought about the movie and how the wizard had only helped the characters in the movie find traits in themselves they never knew they had. She wondered if that's what Garrett did as a therapist. Maybe he was just a guide to help people recognize their own strengths.

She remembered how he'd encouraged her and told her she was a strong person. She'd never thought of herself that way, and yet she'd handled the previous day better than she'd ever thought she would. She'd had her moments, but she had survived, and today was a bright, new day. She was looking forward to it with joy and enthusiasm, a response she certainly would not have seen in herself.

It wasn't yet 8:00, and the main floor was relatively quiet. Nothing like the previous morning. They found a secluded table under a tree and quietly ate their Pop Tarts. Christina watched the bubbles emerge from her milk carton as she blew into it.

Cathee sighed. "Please don't make a mess, Sweetie. I don't want milk on your dress. The clothes we bought are for Kindergarten, and I don't want to get them out."

"Sorry, Mommy." She quit blowing bubbles. When she finished, she gathered up all the trash and threw it in the nearest trash can.

"Thanks, Honey. I'm so proud of you when you help without being asked. That's awesome." She held up a hand and let Christina give her a high five. "Are you ready?"

Christina nodded, and they headed out the door.

The inside of the sedan was already hot when they climbed in. Cathee turned on the air conditioner full blast. "It's going to be hot today. It's a good thing we have air conditioning." She watched Christina nod in the rear view mirror as she pulled out of the parking lot.

"When will we get there, Mommy?"

"It won't take long. Just a few minutes."

They arrived at the chapel twenty minutes to 9:00. Plenty of time to wander around the church house. Most LDS buildings were similar in layout, but there were always a few differences. They needed time to find which room Christina's class would be meeting in.

As they wandered the building, Cathee was relieved to see Christina visibly relax. The building was familiar. The pictures decorating the walls were similar, and the furniture in the foyers matched the ones in their own building. "This looks like our church, Mommy!" Christina was excited to see the similarities.

"Yes. Most LDS churches look alike. The members are much the same, too."

Christina held Cathee's hand tightly as they entered the Primary room.

What looked to be the Primary president walked up and greeted them with a smile. "Are you visiting today?"

Christina nodded vigorously.

"How old are you?"

"Four."

"You'll be attending Sister Owens' and Sister Gerard's class. They'll be arriving soon. You can sit in this seat." A couple of other children were already sitting on the row. They smiled at her, and Christina happily sat next to the little blond girl with the pretty pink purse.

Cathee bent down to whisper, "Do you want to stay here in Primary or go with me?"

"I want to stay."

"I'll be back after Sunday School to take you with me to Sacrament Meeting."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you more." Cathee kissed her daughter on the cheek then headed to the Relief Society room.

Eyes closed, Cathee sat in the back row. She listened to the notes quietly emerging under the fingers of a skilled pianist. It was easy to forget she was attending a different ward. Everything was exactly the same. She let the familiar music wash over her.

Cathee opened her eyes when a sister got up to give the announcements. She wasn't sure which member of the presidency was speaking. There wasn't a Relief Society program announcing who was conducting or teaching, but it didn't matter. The sister looked around the room and said, "I see we have a couple of visitors. Would you like to introduce yourselves?"

Another young sister stood up. "I'm Susie Miller. I'm from Utah. I'm here visiting my parents this week."

"We're glad you're here. Thanks for coming."

Everyone turned to Cathee. "I'm Cathee Laurenson. I'm on vacation with my daughter."

The sister looked surprised. "We don't get a lot of vacationers here. We're glad you're with us today."

"Thanks." Cathee was relieved when everyone turned back to the front. She felt awkward being the center of attention.

She sat back and enjoyed the lesson, knowing the same lesson was being taught in her own ward. The teacher might have a few different insights for the class, but it was basically the same as every other ward.

After Relief Society ended, the doors were opened so the men could join them for the Sunday School lesson. Cathee hadn't moved from her spot. She'd picked the back seat furthest from the door so other members wouldn't have to step over her to get to a seat.

She had dropped open her scriptures and was trying to concentrate on what she had opened to when she felt someone sit in the seat next to her. Surprised anyone would be sitting right next to her when there were still empty seats in the room, she looked up. Her eyes went wide. "What are you doing here?" she blurted out.

Garrett's smile lit up his eyes. "I thought I'd attend the nearest meetings, and this building was the closest. I like attending the early meeting; voilà, here I am."

"Wow. I didn't even know you were a member."

He chuckled. "I didn't realize you were, either."

Cathee's brow puckered. "So are you from Kansas?"

"Actually, I grew up in California, attended BYU, then worked on a graduate degree at Kansas State. I was able to find work here, so I stayed."

She wanted to ask about Jill but hesitated. She didn't want to pry. Since Jill's parents were familiar with Topeka restaurants, she had a suspicion Jill was from Kansas even if Garrett wasn't.

They turned their attention to the class president as she started to speak. "There are several visitors today. Could you introduce yourselves?"

Once again, Cathee endured the stares of strangers as she stood to introduce herself.

Garrett stood up after she did. "I'm attending a conference at the Capitol Plaza."

"Welcome to the Ward. We're glad you're here."

From the knowing looks of their fellow class members, it was easy to see they all assumed Cathee and Garrett were a couple. Cathee turned pink and stared down at her quadruple combination. The words on the page were a blur. She blinked a couple of times to get them to focus. As far as she knew, no one had assumed she was coupled with anyone since before Christina was born. This was unfamiliar territory.

As Garrett sat down, he rested his arm casually on the back of her seat. He obviously wasn't sharing her discomfort. Since she knew she'd probably never see anyone in the room again, she relaxed. It wasn't worth stressing over, and she was surprised to find she liked his arm resting right where it was–even if it was sending chills down her spine. They weren't the terror-filled ones she'd experienced in the past. This was something else.

As the class progressed, Cathee had a hard time concentrating on the lesson. Garrett had found a stray curl and was gently twisting and untwisting it around his index finger. Having him toy casually with her hair was wreaking havoc on her peace of mind. No one had been anywhere near her like that since her experience with Juan. She snuck a peek at Garrett, but he was reading along with the scripture passage and didn't seem to notice. She couldn't understand how he could be casual when her heart was thumping so loudly she was sure the whole room could hear. It was a shock to realize the thumping wasn't caused by fear but by a different kind of feeling, and she wasn't ready to analyze it.

After the closing prayer, Garrett and Cathee stood up almost simultaneously. Garrett casually reached for her stray hand. "Shall we get Christina?"

Cathee nodded, speechless. She didn't know whether to stomp her foot in anger or just go along for the ride. He certainly didn't mind taking control, but she suddenly realized she didn't mind nearly as much as she thought she should. She meekly followed behind as he led them through the chairs.

Christina was delighted to see Garrett and ran up to greet him. "Did you come to see us?"

He laughed. "I didn't know you'd be here, but I was very happy to see your mother."

He smiled down at Cathee, who blushed scarlet and dropped her gaze. _What is it with this guy?_

"I hope you'll both sit with me. I don't like sitting all by myself."

"Can we, Mommy? Please, Mommy, ple-ea-ase, can we sit with him?"

Cathee rolled her eyes. "I know when I'm outnumbered."

Christina grabbed Garrett's and Cathee's hands as they moved down the hallway. Cathee stopped and looked down at Christina. "You need to get a drink and stop at the bathroom before we go to the chapel. I don't want you leaving during sacrament meeting."

"Okay, Mommy." She obediently took a detour.

Garrett and Cathee waited in the hallway. Cathee looked up at him. "So where do you live?"

"I live in Salina. I have my own practice there now."

"Wow. I grew up in Salina."

"It's a small ward. I'm surprised I haven't heard you mentioned."

She dropped her gaze. "When my parents died, I moved in with my dad's brother and his wife. They attend the Manhattan Ward." She continued to stare at the floor, unwilling to meet his eyes. "When I...discovered I was expecting Christina, I moved in with a foster family in Utah." She looked up at him then. "I severed all my ties to Salina. I didn't talk to any of my friends after that. Maybe no one wanted to talk about me because of the circumstances surrounding my departure. The ward was really good about not gossiping. My departure would have been fodder for gossips, but the ward wouldn't stoop to that, I'm sure."

Garrett nodded, looking thoughtful. "I can see that, and I just moved in a couple of years ago. You've been gone a while."

"Six years."

"The ward has seen a lot of turnover lately. I heard several of the long time members retired to Utah."

Cathee smiled. "Utah does have a certain appeal to LDS retirees."

"The proximity of temples is one of them."

She nodded. "It's hard when the assigned temple is in Nebraska."

"That's a long drive."

"Four hours, isn't it?" She waited for Garrett's acknowledging nod, then continued, "It's a lot easier to work in the temple when it's only a few minutes away."

Christina ran up to them, her hands still damp from a wash. She reached confidently for both adults' hands and marched them toward the chapel.

Garrett grinned. "Let the child lead them."

Cathee laughed. "She knows where she's going. This is just like our building in Wichita."

Christina led them to the short back pew on the left. That was the one they always occupied in Wichita. She stopped when she saw someone's purse sitting there and looked up. "Where do we go, Mommy?"

Garrett scanned the room and found another pew about halfway up the room. "I think I see a spot. Follow me."

They threaded through the throng and sat on the bench. A graying man behind them whispered loudly to the woman next to him, "Isn't that a nice-looking family?"

Cathee could feel the blush move up her cheeks and faced forward. Of course people would think they were together. They were both strangers to the ward and were certainly acting like a couple. Once again, she snuck a look at Garrett. He didn't seem to mind in the least, or else he hadn't heard the brother behind them. She doubted he hadn't heard, though. The whisper had been loud enough to wake the dead.

She relaxed as the services began. Christina was sitting between them, so she wasn't in as much emotional turmoil as she had been in Sunday School. She needed a little space. Things were moving too fast, and she wasn't sure she was ready for any kind of relationship. She hadn't dated anyone in six years. She was afraid her emotional response was way out of proportion.

Garrett once again rested his arm across the back of the pew. He certainly seemed totally relaxed. She found herself wondering about his dead wife. What had she been like? He hadn't mentioned any children. Did he have any? And if so, where were they? She peeked at Garrett and wondered if he was asking himself as many questions about her as she was asking about him. She was itching to ask, but sacrament meeting wasn't the place to carry on a conversation.

She couldn't read his expression. He seemed intent on the speaker and not particularly nervous about what anyone was thinking about them. Was that a guy thing or just a Garrett one? She didn't have enough experience with men to know.

She faced forward and tried to pay attention to the speaker. Unfortunately, it was one of those high council speakers who delivers in a monotone. She wondered how Garrett could listen. She was feeling drowsy just listening to his voice. She switched her attention to the hymn book, flipping through the pages until she found a hymn she wanted to review. If she listened to the speaker, she knew she'd doze off. She suppressed a shudder. What an impression that would make. After having a breakdown in front of him the previous day, she certainly didn't want to topple over in exhausted slumber during sacrament meeting.

Fortunately, there was a rest hymn after the first speaker. They stood up to sing "Awake and Arise." Whoever had picked the hymn must have known who the speaker was going to be. Cathee had to suppress a giggle. When she caught Garrett looking at her, she could see the laughter in his eyes. Apparently the speaker's monotone had affected him, too.

The final speaker was an energetic younger man. He seemed much more enthusiastic about his assignment, and he used a lot of humor in his talk. His discourse was an excellent close to the service, and the time flew under his expert skills.

After the meeting ended, Garrett turned to Cathee. "What are your plans for lunch?"

Cathee hesitated, then said, "I bought sandwich supplies so we wouldn't have to eat out." She quickly considered how much food they had and decided they could invite him for lunch. "Would you like to share a sandwich with us?"

"Do you have enough?"

"Well," she confessed, "probably not enough for both lunch and dinner, but we have enough for lunch, anyway."

"That sounds great. Where would you like to meet?"

"We had Pop Tarts and milk for breakfast at the table next to the fountain." She saw his puzzled expression then elaborated. "The one under the tallest tree."

"Ah. I know the one. What time would you like me to be there?"

"I want to change and get the picnic supplies. Does 1:00 sound ok?"

"Sounds great."

Christina reached for a hand from each of them, and they walked out to Cathee's car.

"Where did you park?" Cathee asked.

"I'm on the other side of the building."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

He grinned. "No worries. I think I can handle the exercise. I'll see you at 1:00."

Cathee buckled Christina into her car seat, then walked around to the driver's side. Garrett shut both their doors. He stepped onto the sidewalk as they pulled away. His long strides made short work of the walk around the building. He was heading to the Capitol Plaza just a couple of minutes after they left. He whistled as he drove to the hotel. The spontaneous eruption of sound surprised him. It had been a long time since he'd felt like whistling.

# Chapter 7, Sunday

Cathee rushed to her room with Christina in tow.

Knowing Garrett was a member changed her attitude about their relationship. Before, she was absolutely positive she would never talk to the man again after their vacation was over. Now, she wasn't so sure.

She grabbed a pair of jeans and a t-shirt emblazoned across the front with her favorite clothing label then headed into the bathroom to change. She carefully combed out her hair and touched up her makeup. She hadn't been so careful about her appearance in years. After staring at herself a moment, she stepped out of the bathroom to grab her white tailored blouse.

Christina stared at her with wide eyes. "What's the matter, Mommy?"

Cathee laughed. "Sorry. I can't decide what to wear."

"You look nice."

"Thanks, Honey." Cathee noticed Christina's dress flung on the bed. "Please put your shoes in the closet. I'll hang up your dress after I change. I won't be long."

"Okay." She moved obediently to put her dress shoes away.

As Cathee buttoned the final button, she stared at herself in the mirror and shook her head. "I don't think so." She changed back into her original t-shirt.

It seemed strange to be caring about how she looked. Like she was sixteen again. She was surprised by how young she felt. She'd been feeling like an old woman far too long. Being a single mom had aged her. Carrying all the responsibility of raising her daughter alone had been draining. Carrying the burden of the Juan ordeal had been even more draining.

She stared in the mirror and wished for her mother. She needed someone to talk to. She'd never felt comfortable confiding in her aunt–especially after she moved out to live with a foster family. They hadn't communicated much since she'd moved to Utah. Just a few letters–usually at Christmas. She had some bridges to repair, but she hadn't quite known how to face her aunt and uncle. _Thanksgiving_ , she promised herself again. _I will see them at Thanksgiving._

She stepped out of the bathroom and hung up both of their dresses and the blouse she'd decided not to wear. She picked up her athletic shoes, then put them back and slipped into her white leather flip flops.

Cathee opened the cooler and scrutinized its contents. There wasn't a lot. She hoped it was enough to feed a hungry man. She looked up at her daughter, "Christina, could you grab three plates, three knives, and some napkins? I'll carry the cooler and the loaf of bread."

Christina obediently picked up the items.

Cathee tucked her key card into her purse. She looked at the time on her cell phone. "It's almost 1:00. Garrett should be at the table."

"I like Garrett. He's nice to me."

"I like him, too, Honey, but you shouldn't call adults by their first names."

"What should I call him?"

Cathee furrowed her brow in thought. What should her daughter call him? She'd never dated anyone. She couldn't say she wasn't dating the man when they were heading into their second date. Her parents had raised her not to call adults by their first names, and she was certainly planning to continue the tradition. _Brother Andrews seems way too...I don't know...churchie? What on earth should I have Christina call him?_ Finally, she said, "You can call him _Mr_. Garrett."

"That sounds funny, Mommy."

Cathee laughed. "It does, doesn't it? Hopefully, we'll get used to it."

* * *

As they walked into the atrium, Garrett was seated at their table. He smiled warmly as they approached. Christina was announcing before they reached the table, "Mommy says I can call you Mr. Garrett. Do you like that?"

As she arrived, Garrett reached over to ruffle her curls and said, "It sounds like a nice name. I hope I get to hear it a lot."

Christina giggled. "Am I the only one who calls you that?"

"You're the only one so far."

Christina carefully placed the paper plates around the table, put the napkins in the center, placed the knives on the napkins, then dropped into the seat next to him.

Cathee opened the cooler and pulled out a loaf of whole wheat bread, salad dressing, turkey deli meat, a bag of romaine lettuce, and a small jar of sliced dill pickles. "I hope you like turkey. I wasn't expecting to share."

"Turkey sounds great. I was just planning to eat at the restaurant, but this is much better."

Cathee dropped her gaze. "I doubt it tastes as good."

"I'm sure it'll taste great."

Christina interjected, "Mommy makes yummy food."

Garrett smiled. "I'm sure she does."

The blush started up her cheeks again. Being on the reddish side of blond had its disadvantages. "I'll let you fix your own. I don't know how you like your sandwiches."

"I'm not too fussy, but that works for me."

Cathee took out four slices of bread for hers and Christina's sandwiches, then handed the loaf over to Garrett. He took four slices, too.

They worked quietly at fixing their lunch. When Cathee finished making her and Christina's sandwiches, she handed Garrett the remaining sandwich supplies, then pulled three individual cartons of milk out of the cooler for their beverage. There was only one carton left. She hadn't planned on sharing.

The next few minutes were spent consuming their meal. When Christina finished hers, she asked, "Can I go look at the fountain, Mommy?"

"You can stick your fingers in, but don't get your clothes wet."

"Thanks, Mommy. I'll be careful." She skipped over to the fountain just a few feet away.

Garrett finished both his sandwiches before Cathee could finish hers. "You're fast."

"I learned to eat fast as a missionary."

Cathee giggled, then asked, "Where did you go?"

"I served in the Missouri Independence Mission." He paused a moment. "Jill's family attends the Lawrence First Ward. I met Jill while I was teaching her boyfriend the discussions."

"Did he join?"

"No. Jill went on to attend BYU. When my mission was over, I looked her up. The rest is history."

"From your career choice, I assume you majored in psychology. What was Jill majoring in?"

"She was studying elementary education, but she dropped out to work as a secretary after we got married. She never did finish her degree."

Cathee stared at Garrett for a moment, wondering how to respond. Jill would never get the chance to finish.

Sensing her discomfort, Garrett hurried on. "Did you attend college?"

"Yes. I majored in accounting at Utah Valley University. I'm currently working for the Defense Contract Audit Agency in Wichita."

"What do you do?"

"I audit defense contractors so they don't charge the government too much."

"Sounds...interesting."

Cathee laughed. "It's ok if you like numbers and you don't mind talking to a variety of people. I spend the bulk of my time in offices talking to contractors about expenses." She shrugged. "It pays the bills."

"That's something, then."

"What made you choose to be a therapist?"

Garrett echoed her shrug. "I've always liked helping people. It seemed like an appealing career."

"I'll bet it's exciting."

"I've had some interesting clients," he smiled, "but I find the person across the table from me absolutely fascinating."

Cathee blushed again. "How come?"

"Well," he stopped to brush some crumbs onto the plate he held off the table as a catcher, "I've never been looked through." He glanced up at her then.

"What are you talking about?"

"When you walked into the hotel the first time I saw you, you looked right through me."

"Really? I guess I didn't see you."

"That's exactly what I mean. Most people know when they've seen someone. You didn't even see me, but I saw you."

She rubbed her forehead wearily. "I've spent a lot of time not seeing people, I guess."

"Why would you do that?"

"I...I don't know." She paused a moment, trying to reason out her own behavior. "I guess I didn't want to see people after my experience with Juan."

Garrett reached out to gently pat the back of the hand she had resting on the table. "You don't need to talk about it if you don't want to."

She met Garrett's gaze. "I feel like I owe you after yesterday."

"You don't owe me anything."

"I'm not feeling that way. I don't think I could have gone through the day without you there."

His eyes shadowed, then cleared. "I'm sure you would have done fine. You're a strong woman."

"You keep saying that, but how would you know?"

He smiled. "The way you handled me at the breakfast table was telling, don't you think?"

"I wouldn't call that being strong. Rude, maybe..."

"Being a single mother who graduated with an accounting degree? You don't call that strong?"

She sighed. "I did what I had to do."

He gently lifted her chin to look in her eyes. "Not everyone could do what you've done. You really are a strong woman."

The look in his eyes convinced her he believed in her. She didn't understand why he would come to that conclusion when he hardly knew her. How could anyone really know anyone else?

Christina skipped back over from the fountain. "Can we play UNO, Mommy?"

"I brought the cards with me. I think we can fit in a game." She looked up at Garrett. "Would you like to join us?"

"I haven't played in years, but it sounds like fun."

Garrett cleared the table while Cathee dug the deck of cards out of her purse. Christina dealt the first hand. They spent the next hour laughing their way through several UNO games. Christina won four times, Garrett won once, and Cathee won twice. As Cathee gathered up the cards, Garrett looked at his watch. "It's 2:30. Did you want to come to my suite to watch a movie?"

Cathee hesitated, then answered. "We had a big day yesterday. Christina and I are going to take a nap."

Christina protested. "I'm not tired."

"Yes, you are. And we are going to take a nap."

"Okay." Christina surrendered quickly.

"I know I ate a good portion of your food. Can I pay for your dinner?"

"You paid yesterday."

He grinned. "I think I can afford it. What do you say?"

"Do you ever take 'no' for an answer?"

"It depends on who's talking."

Cathee laughed. "Does that mean you won't take a 'no' from me?"

"Not if I can help it."

"Dinner does sound nice. What time did you want to eat?"

"I don't care. I thought we'd just stay here. The Falling Water Grill and the Waters Edge have good food. I can meet you here or at your room..."

She was quick to say, "Let's meet at this table, then. Does 6:30 sound ok?"

"That will be fine. I'll meet you here. You can decide which restaurant."

Christina piped up, "I like the one with the yummy dessert."

Garrett raised an eyebrow. "Which one is that?"

"The formal one–not the lounge."

"I forgot. Christina probably isn't allowed in the Waters Edge Lounge. The Falling Grill is fine."

Cathee laughed. "Yeah. I don't think she'd pass the driver's license check. The only thing I'm worried about at the Falling Grill is an expanding waistline."

His glance skimmed over her slender form. "I don't think you need to worry." He smiled when her blush raced up her cheeks again. "I like your coloring."

She dropped her glance and mumbled, "I think we need to go take that nap."

"I'll see you at 6:30 then."

Cathee reached for Christina's hand. Christina skipped happily as they moved to the elevator. "I'm glad we got to meet Mr. Garrett. He's nice."

Cathee didn't reply. She was too immersed in her own thoughts to hear her daughter's chatter.

* * *

Cathee reached for her cell phone as the alarm went off and automatically pushed the snooze button. It was a habit she had a hard time getting over. She stared at the unfamiliar ceiling. It took her a moment to remember she was at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Topeka.

She checked the time on the cell phone. 6:00 p.m. She blinked.

Why had she set the alarm for 6:00 p.m? Then she remembered dinner with Garrett, jumped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom. From the reflection in the mirror, she could see her makeup had survived the nap. She reapplied her lipstick after she brushed her teeth, ran a quick comb through her hair, then went to wake up Christina.

They had both dropped off quickly after they arrived in the room. Sunday naps were a tradition in the Laurenson household, and Cathee had kept up the tradition.

Cathee opened the curtains to let in the afternoon sun, then moved over to rub Christina's back. Her eyelids fought to open. As Christina stirred, Cathee said, "You need to brush your teeth and comb your hair. Mr. Garrett is going to take us to dinner."

Christina stretched and yawned, then crawled off her bed. She trudged slowly to the bathroom while Cathee rushed to find Christina's shoes.

Cathee checked her phone again. "Hurry, Christina. We're supposed to be there in five minutes." She derided herself for not setting the alarm sooner. Garrett probably didn't like to be kept waiting.

Christina still had toothpaste around her mouth when she emerged.

"You need to rinse, Honey." Cathee followed her into the bathroom. She watched while Christina rinsed, spat, and washed her face. When Christina had finished washing, Cathee quickly brushed her hair. "I put your shoes by the door. Ready?"

Christina nodded, slipped on her flip flops, and they headed out the door together.

Garrett was sitting at the designated table in the atrium. He was checking his watch when Cathee caught sight of him. She sighed.

Christina looked up. "What's wrong, Mommy?"

"I think I need to work harder at being on time. Mr. Garrett has been checking his watch every time we've been to meet him."

Christina furrowed her brow. "How come?"

"It means we're late."

"Oh."

As Christina ran up to hug Garrett, Cathee could see the welcome in his face. They might be a few minutes late, but he seemed to be happy they had come. Maybe he'd been worried they wouldn't show up.

He looked up from Christina as Cathee arrived. "So the dessert restaurant?" he asked.

"Please?" Christina begged.

"Sounds good." Cathee smiled. "I like their desserts, too. We haven't tried the entrees, though."

"They have a nice menu. I think you'll like it."

"I'm sure I will."

Garrett reached for Cathee's hand, then Christina's, and led them to the restaurant.

The tables were topped with small white perforated ceramic jars. The lightbulbs inside immitated the flicker of candles. "Look, Mommy. The lights move here just like they did last night."

"You're right, Honey. Aren't the lights pretty?"

Christina nodded.

They were seated quickly. The waitress arrived just a moment after.

"Hi. My name is Janet. I'll be your server tonight." She smiled warmly as she handed out the menus, then pulled out her notepad. "What would you like to drink?"

"Apple juice for my daughter and water with a slice of lemon for me."

Garrett announced, "I'll have lemonade."

As Janet was leaving, Cathee asked, "Having a little sugar with your lemons?"

He smiled. "If I have to have a lemon, I'd like it sweetened a bit."

"I wouldn't have guessed."

"Why not?"

Cathee pursed her lips. "I don't know...I just don't see you as a sugar type."

"And what type is that?"

Flustered, Cathee dropped her gaze to the table and was grateful for the interruption of Janet as she delivered their drinks.

"Have you decided on your orders?"

Cathee and Garrett nodded simultaneously. Cathee ordered first. "I'll have the salmon with lemon herb sauce. My daughter will have the chicken tenders with applesauce and carrots as the sides."

Janet nodded, scribbled into her notepad, then turned to Garrett, who said, "I wanted to try the steak."

"Mashed or baked potato?"

"Mashed, please."

"Would you like salads with your meals?"

Cathee shook her head when Garrett turned to her. "No, thanks," he informed Janet.

When she left, Cathee responded to his earlier question. "I guess I think of sugar types as push overs."

"And I'm not?"

She shook her head vigorously. "Anyone who won't take 'no' for an answer isn't a push over."

Garrett laughed. "I'm not like that with everyone, you know."

Her brow furrowed. "Why me?"

"I'm not sure...you've intrigued me from the moment we met."

She laughed. "It must not take a lot to intrigue you."

His face was serious as he replied. "I haven't been interested in anyone since Jill died." He surprised himself by mentioning her so casually. "There's something about you..."

Christina interrupted, "Who is Jill?" Apparently, she had been too busy coloring the day before to key into their conversation.

Garrett dropped his gaze to meet hers. "She's my wife. She died several years ago."

"Oh." She paused a moment. "Are you sad?"

"Sometimes I'm sad. I miss her."

"Do you have any kids?"

Cathee bit her lip to keep a smile from forming. Trust her daughter to ask all the hard questions.

"No." This time, Garrett's face looked almost agonized. Cathee had to drop her gaze. It was hard to watch his pain. "We never had any children."

Christina stared at him a moment, then patted his arm. "I wish you were my daddy. I don't have one. You're nice."

Garrett smiled, his pain fading away, and said, "Thanks. That's very kind of you to say."

Cathee blushed scarlet. It was time to stop Christina's interrogation. She was being far too candid.

"Christina, quit pestering Mr. Garrett. I don't think he likes all your questions."

"I don't mind." His eyes twinkled with amusement.

"I do." Cathee was firm. "Why don't you tell Mr. Garrett about your preschool?"

Christina beamed with enthusiasm. "I go to Rainbow Bright Preschool. They teach me all kinds of things, and we get to sing and play outside and color."

"What's your favorite thing to do?" Garrett met Christina's gaze, seeming intensely interested in what she had to say.

She paused a moment, her brow furrowed in thought. "I like to color. Mommy hangs my pictures on the fridge. Sometimes, she puts one in a frame and hangs it at her office."

"Do you go to her office often?"

She shook her head. "Mommy let me go once, but she says it's not a place for children." She shoved her bottom lip out in a pout.

"Most offices don't allow children, Christina. I'm sure your Mommy is following the rules."

Janet arrived with their entrees, effectively cutting off the conversation. They turned their attention to their meals.

"This salmon is perfect."

Garrett looked up from cutting his steak. "They do a nice job on the food here."

"Do you come often?"

"I've been here a few times. It's a popular place for conventions."

"Do you attend many?"

"I usually attend a conference about once a month, but I'm not usually the presenter. The conferences are held in various locations. Sometimes I travel out of state."

"How did you get to be an expert in your field?"

"I've specialized in handling RAD children. I have a lot of hands-on experience, and I do a lot of studying as well. My success in the field has been gratifying."

"How does dealing with RAD children differ from other kids?"

"They have attachment issues. Often, the therapy consists of play therapy and careful interaction with the primary care giver. The goal is to achieve successful attachment between the parent and the child." He paused a moment. "If the child can successfully attach, any problems the child has will be within the normal range."

"What kinds of problems can a RAD child have?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "It really depends on the child. There are a wide range of behaviors. It would take some time to go through them all. Some of them are lying, stealing, violent behavior, destruction of property. Each child will react differently, but they exhibit extreme behavior problems and are particularly challenging in situations where a parent or authority figure is in charge. Sometimes it is diagnosed as Oppositional Defiant Disorder or ODD. In the case of RAD children, the problems can be overcome with therapy involving the parent. Normal therapy doesn't work with these kids. I provide a framework of support for the parent and then work on getting the parent and child to interact in loving ways."

"It sounds...complicated."

"It can be, but I love my work."

"I can tell." Cathee smiled warmly and then concentrated on her meal. Her own work as an auditor seemed dry and boring after hearing about his work. She wondered if he'd even be interested in what she did for a living.

When Janet came to pick up their plates, she asked, "Did you want to see the dessert tray tonight?"

Cathee looked apologetic. "I'm too stuffed to eat a dessert myself."

"Can I have the brownie fudge with ice cream, Mommy?"

"Do you have room?"

"Can we share?"

Cathee pushed back from the table a couple of inches. "I think I might be able to find a little room."

Garrett laughed. "You sound like you're being tortured." He looked up at Janet. "Bring the Brownie Fudge Delight and three spoons."

Cathee looked at him with wide eyes. _It seems way too early in our relationship to be eating off the same plate. Ugh. Shouldn't he be grossed out just thinking about sharing a plate? I share food with Christina all the time, but I've never eaten off the same plate as another adult. Awkward. How do I handle this?_

When dessert arrived, Cathee took the first bite. After Garrett's spoon had touched the brownie, she couldn't bring herself to take another bite. "I just don't have any room," she excused herself.

He didn't seem to share her view. He ate the rest of the brownie with Christina, seeming oblivious to the fact he was sharing food with a stranger. _What an odd man_.

After Christina and Garrett finished dessert, Garrett left a few twenties in the leather case Janet had left with the bill. As they were walking out the door, Cathee glanced back and saw the look of delight on her face. He must've left a nice tip.

They moved back to the table in the atrium they had shared for lunch. Garrett paused, seeming to sense Cathee didn't want to be walked to her room. "So...what are your plans tomorrow? Do you have them firmed up?"

"We are going to tour the governor's mansion tomorrow morning. It's only open on Mondays."

"Do you mind if I join you?"

She chewed on her lip a moment, indecision flickering across her face. "You'll probably be bored to death."

He grinned. "I'm sure Christina will keep me entertained."

Cathee laughed. "At least you'll be kept busy answering questions."

Christina interrupted. "I'll be good, Mommy. I promise. Can Mr. Garrett come with us?"

Cathee relented. "I suppose you can come. Let me know if you get too bored and you can come back to the convention before we head to the Brown vs. Board of Education Historical Site."

"I doubt I'll be bored, but I promise I'll let you know."

"I'm planning on leaving here by 9:00. Can you meet us here then?"

"Since you're providing the transportation, can I provide breakfast?"

She stared at him a moment, then pursed her lips thoughtfully before answering. "I suppose breakfast wouldn't hurt. Let's meet at 8:15 then. It will give us time to order and eat."

He tried to hide a grin. He'd won–again. "Breakfast at 8:15. I'll wait for you here."

She reached for Christina's hand, and they headed to the bank of elevators alone. Garrett watched as they walked away. He longed to be walking with them. He was tired of being a lone man. He hoped he'd be able to win Cathee over. He didn't have much time before they went their separate ways.

# Chapter 8, Escape

As Garrett headed to the elevator, his cell phone vibrated. He pulled it out, saw Darrin's name, and took the call. "Hi."

"Hey, Garrett. I drove to Lawrence to spend some time with my in-laws. Sally met me there."

"I'm glad you got to spend some time with your family."

"Yeah. It was nice seeing my boys. Sally decided to spend the week in Lawrence, so I probably won't be around much in the evenings. I'll be eating dinner with them."

"It beats eating alone at the hotel–that's for sure."

Darrin laughed. "Well, I wasn't planning on eating alone. I was planning to eat with you, but I have to say I prefer the company of my wife."

"I'd feel insulted, but I felt the same when Jill was alive."

"Yeah, well," Darrin sounded awkward, "umm...I just called to ask how your day went."

"I attended the Lake Shawnee Ward."

"Do you know anyone there?"

"No," Garrett chuckled, "but I happened to know a visitor and her daughter."

"No way. That curvy blond was there?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, and I'm spending most of the day tomorrow with them."

"Don't you have some classes to attend?"

"There were a couple I wanted to catch, but I've met my required hours, so I'm just going to play hooky this week."

"All week?"

"As many days as Cathee will let me tag along with her."

"You really like her, don't you?"

"I admit your dare was a challenge, but yes, I like her–a lot. And her daughter is charming."

Darrin laughed. "I'll bet you wouldn't tell me if she was otherwise, but I'm glad you're going out. It's been too many years. I hope this works out for you."

"Me, too."

"I guess I won't be seeing you in the morning."

"Unless we see each other at breakfast–probably not."

"Keep me informed. I'd like to know how things go."

Garrett laughed. "I'll bet you would." He paused a moment. "I'll owe you big time if things work out the way I hope they do."

"Just take Sally and me out to dinner some time."

"I'll do that. I'll catch ya later." Garrett shut the phone as Darrin was bidding farewell.

* * *

Garrett's alarm went off at 7:15 a.m. He rolled out of bed, opened the drawer next to his bed, and pulled out the thick phone directory. He flipped through to the "F" section.

"Florist. Florist. There has to be one somewhere." He found a full page and quickly scanned to see which one was close to the Plaza. He picked up the phone and dialed "0."

When the front desk attendant picked up, Garrett said. "Hi. This is Garrett Andrews. I'd like to have some flowers delivered to Cathee Laurenson. Can I get her room number?"

"I'm sorry. We don't give out that information, but if you have the flowers delivered here, we will notify Ms. Laurenson immediately."

Disappointed, Garrett mumbled "Thanks" as he dropped the phone receiver into place. So much for trying to get the room number from staff. He'd have to pry it out of her. He didn't think Christina was old enough to remember what room number they were staying in.

He called the local florist and ordered the flowers. "Yellow roses, please. I don't care what else you have in there, but I want at least a dozen yellow roses."

"Are you sure you don't want red, sir?"

"I'm sure."

Even if they didn't get him the room number as he'd hoped they would, he still wanted Cathee to enjoy the fresh arrangement. Flowers were a statement of commitment. He wanted her to know his interest wasn't fleeting. Yellow symbolized friendship. He didn't want to scare her off with the red of romance.

He showered and dressed quickly, then stopped to watch the news. He was about to switch off the set when the announcer caught his attention. "A nationwide manhunt is on today for Juan Ortiz, who escaped a New York prison late last night. He is a suspect in the murder of college student Ellie Stonewall." A picture of a muscular man with an olive complexion, dark hair and dark brown eyes flashed on the screen. "It is believed he is armed and dangerous. He is believed to be heading for Kansas or Oklahoma where he has family. If you see this man, please call 1-800-GET-JUAN."

Garrett stared at the screen, engulfed in horror. A Juan Ortiz escaping from New York with ties to Kansas. This had to be the man who had fathered Christina. Did Cathee know the man was loose? He didn't have her number, so he couldn't call. He agonized over how he should handle this piece of information. He would just have to wait and see how Cathee was acting. Take his cues from her. He couldn't imagine she'd take Juan's escape well. He'd been there for her meltdown on Saturday. This couldn't be good.

It was with some trepidation he approached their table at 8:10. He was relieved to see she hadn't arrived yet. He wanted to be able to judge her state of mind as she entered the atrium.

He watched the other residents as they made their way to the restaurant. He checked his watch. 8:17. Maybe she wouldn't show up. She'd have reason to hide with Juan running loose. He wouldn't blame her if she decided to cut and run.

He was checking his watch again at 8:19 when Christina came running up, a huge smile on her face. "Good morning, Mr. Garrett."

He ruffled her curls. "Hi, Christina. Did you sleep well?"

She nodded, then said, "I got to watch cartoons this morning while Mommy was getting dressed."

Cathee looked embarrassed. "It wasn't the most educational channel, but it kept her occupied while I took my shower."

Garrett's eyes lost their shadowed look. Cathee wondered what she had said to lighten his mood.

Garrett was relieved. Cathee had apparently not seen the newscast.

She had the Wall Street Journal tucked under her arm. He knew the story about Juan wouldn't make it to the WSJ. Local crime stories weren't normally covered there. Only items of potential interest to the financial community were included. He'd tag along for the day as planned. Hopefully, none of the places they were planning to visit would be broadcasting the story.

They moved to the restaurant. Cathee paused to let Garrett reach for her hand, a subtle change in her previous behavior. He'd had to be brazenly bold before. Garrett hoped this meant the ice was thawing.

As the waitress arrived, Cathee put in her order. "My daughter and I will have the French toast with maple syrup. We'd like hot chocolate as our beverage, and I'd like a glass of water as well."

The waitress turned to Garrett. "What would you like, Sir?"

"I'll have the pancake stack with a side of bacon."

As the waitress left, Garrett looked at Cathee. "No grapefruit today?"

She giggled. "I decided it was out of season. It was nasty, wasn't it?"

"I didn't complain, but you'll notice I didn't order any, either."

Their food arrived quickly. It didn't take them long to finish.

As Garrett paid the bill, Cathee opened her purse and fished out the keys. Garrett didn't hesitate to take them. If he was driving, he hoped Cathee wouldn't mind his picking the music. His plans were to keep the radio off. He didn't want their day ruined by the story of Juan's escape.

Garrett turned to Cathee as he started the engine. "I haven't been to the Governor's mansion. Which direction do I need to go?"

Cathee opened her purse and pulled out a Mapquest page. "I printed out directions before our trip." She handed him the page.

Garrett perused the map. "This shouldn't be too complicated. It should take less than 15 minutes."

"I picked the hotel for its proximity to the places I wanted to see. Everything is pretty close."

"Smart lady." He looked into her eyes and smiled. She was mesmerized. She blinked, broke the spell, then turned her gaze to the window. It was safer there. Her heart felt like she was on the last stretch of a marathon. It was a good thing she wasn't walking. She wasn't sure her legs would work right.

"Where are we going, Mommy?" Christina's voice broke into Cathee's thoughts.

"We're going to see the Governor's Mansion this morning. After we tour the building, I wanted to walk around the grounds until it gets too hot."

"Can we see the capitol building today?"

"I wanted to see the Brown vs. Board of Education historical site today. If it doesn't take long, we can see the capitol building afterward." She turned to look at Christina. "We have four more days. We don't have to do everything today."

"I know." Christina directed her next question to Garrett. "Can you go swimming with us tonight?"

Garrett turned startled eyes to Cathee. "Did you want me to go swimming with you?"

Cathee wasn't ready for a swimming date. It turned her stomach to think about it. "Umm...I wasn't planning...I mean..." What was she supposed to say? _I don't like wearing so little in front of men_ sounded childish, but that's exactly how she felt. His eyes seemed to understand, so she trailed off.

"I didn't bring a swimming suit. This was a business trip. I don't have plans to shop this week, so I'll probably pass on the swimming invitation." He looked in the rearview mirror and smiled at Christina.

She seemed to accept his explanation, but her expression showed her disappointment. "I wanted to play Marco Polo with you and Mommy."

"We can play some other time."

Her eyes glittered with excitement. "Will you come and visit us?"

Garrett glanced at Christina, then turned his attention back to the road. "I'm not sure. You'll have to check with your mommy on that one."

Cathee bit her bottom lip. She hadn't planned on giving Garrett any identifying information. Just because he had attended church on Sunday with her didn't mean she could trust him with her information.

"Can Mr. Garrett come to our house, Mommy?"

"I'm not sure, Honey. I'll have to think about it."

"Okay."

Garrett interrupted their conversation. "There it is." He slowed as they approached the open front gates.

"Wow. Mommy, look how big the house is."

"That's where the governor of Kansas and his family live."

"What's a governor?"

"It's like the president of the state."

"What's a state?"

Cathee sighed. "I'll show you when we get home, Sweetie."

"Okay, Mommy."

As they approached the gates, Cathee suggested, "If we go to the parking at the back, we won't have to move the car for our walk."

"Good idea."

When Garrett drove past the open gates, Christina burst out, "What are those things on the gate, Mommy?"

"Those are sunflowers, Honey. They're the Kansas state flower."

Christina's brows furrowed. "I thought sunflowers were yellow."

"These are metal, honey. Maybe they didn't want yellow paint to wash off in the rain. Aren't they pretty? Look at the petals."

Christina pushed out her bottom lip in a pout. "I like yellow flowers."

"I do, too, Sweetie, but sometimes it's nice to see something different."

Before Christina could continue her argument, Garrett interrupted. "Apparently, we're not the only ones to know about this lot." He pulled the sedan next to a charter bus. The parking lot was almost full. "This seems to be a popular attraction."

"It's probably the time of year. I doubt it's always this busy."

Garrett turned off the ignition, then quickly moved around the car to open Cathee's door. He was relieved to see her patiently waiting for him to open it. _Definitely thawing._

As Christina stepped out of the car, Cathee turned to her. "If you quietly listen to the tour guide and wait to ask questions until the end of our tour, I'll play Marco Polo with you tonight."

Christina jumped up and down and clapped. "I'll be quiet. I promise."

Cathee looked stern. She'd heard promises before. "If you don't be quiet and listen, what do you think will happen?"

Christina stopped jumping to think. "Umm ...I won't get to go swimming?"

"That's right." Cathee reached for her hand. "Let's go in. Just remember to be quiet."

"Okay, Mommy." Christina reached for Garrett with her other hand, and they all headed for the open gates at the foot of the hill where the mansion stood.

As they entered the building, a tour guide was talking quietly to a gathering of tourists. The guide looked up with a welcoming smile. When she finished with the answer she was giving, she informed them, "The tour starts in six minutes." Then she turned to the group. "Before the tour starts, we ask that you please turn off your cell phones."

Obediently, Cathee dug into her purse to pull out her phone. She turned hers off and noticed Garrett doing the same with his.

Cathee glanced down at Christina, who looked like she would burst at the seams. She obviously wanted to ask a question. Cathee wondered how long she would last before the questions came tumbling out. She doubted her daughter would be able to go five minutes, let alone the length of the entire tour.

Garrett's laughing eyes met hers. He must be thinking the same thing. It was odd to be on the same wavelength as another adult.

Two minutes had passed, and Christina couldn't hold her questions any longer. "Mommy?"

Cathee bent down and whispered, "Remember, if you talk, you won't get to go swimming."

Christina's face showed her desire to go swimming with her mother, but her curiosity won out. She pulled Cathee's head down so she could whisper in her ear. "How come it stinks in here?"

She had noticed the smell, as well. "Most old homes smell like this, Honey. This house was built a long time ago."

"I wouldn't want to live here." She declared quietly.

Cathee had to give her points for trying. At least her volume was low. "I think you get used to it. Every house smells different. When you live there, you quit noticing the smell after a while."

"How come?"

Garrett chuckled. "I knew you'd keep things interesting, Christina. Let's follow the other people on the tour."

Cathee tried to listen as the guide talked about the building. "Cedar Crest was built in 1928."

Christina interrupted with a whisper. "Is that as old as you, Mommy?"

Cathee bit her lip to hide the smile. "Almost."

The guide ignored their hushed conversation as she continued, "It was built for the newspaper publisher Frank P. MacLennan. He died in 1933. When his wife died in 1955, she willed it to the state with the condition it be used as the home of the governor of Kansas. This home has been used as the governor's residence since 1962."

As they walked past a wide window framing the manicured lawn, the guide paused. "The gift of the home included 244 acres of the surrounding land. After your tour here, you might want to take a self-guided tour of MacLennan Park. There are several trails you can choose from."

Christina dropped their hands to examine a particularly interesting piece of furniture. Garrett took the opportunity to link his fingers in Cathee's. Her first instinct was to pull away. She glanced up at Garrett. His calm assurance tempered her fear, and she left her fingers intertwined with his through the rest of the tour. When Christina had found their hands occupied, she settled for holding Cathee's free hand. Cathee was surprised Christina hadn't protested.

After the tour ended, they moved to the grounds and picked a promising trail. It wound down through trees and past dry stream beds. "Look, Mommy. What are these funny white things on the tree? They look like little beds. Are they elf beds?"

Cathee smiled. "They look like beds, don't they?" Her voice rose in alarm as Christina reached out to touch one. "Don't touch that. It's a mushroom. It might be poisonous."

Christina's brows furrowed as she looked up at her mother. "I thought mushrooms were good to eat."

"Not all mushrooms are. Some can make you very sick. Others can make you die. You should never touch a mushroom when you're hiking, Sweetie."

Christina's eyes grew big and she stuffed her fingers in her mouth. "OK, Mommy," sounded around her fingers.

Cathee reached for her daughter's hand, holding the wet fingers securely in hers. "If we are very quiet, we might be able to see some deer. Would you like that?"

Christina nodded, and they moved forward quietly. The trees and plants cooled the hot air and muffled the sounds of the city.

"It's like a different world here, isn't it?" Cathee observed quietly.

Christina nodded again, and Garrett agreed. "Time hasn't changed this place much. It's nice it's been preserved."

As they walked along the trail, Cathee paused. "Look at the ground, Christina. Can you see those prints?"

Christina nodded.

"Those are deer prints. I think they hide during the day. We'd have to be here either really early or just before dark to see them."

"Can we come back when the deer come out?"

"I'm not sure, Sweetie. We'll have to see how the week goes."

As the air became noticeably warmer even in the shelter of the trees, Garrett said, "This trail is going to take more than two hours to walk over. Do you want to head back to the parking lot?"

Cathee nodded her agreement. "Yes. I really don't like being out in the heat."

"I don't know about you, but all this walking has made me hungry. Would it be alright with you if we ate lunch before we headed over to the Brown Historical Site? I noticed a couple of places on our way over here. Did you have a preference?"

"I'm not picky. Whatever you like will be fine."

Christina turned from examining a flower growing next to the path. "I want some Apple Dippers."

Cathee laughed. "If the restaurant doesn't have any, we'll pick some up another day."

Christina's face registered disappointment, but the iridescent glitter of a dragonfly's wings caught her attention. It landed on the dirt path a few feet ahead of them. She skipped toward it as it rested in the sun. It zoomed away just as she reached out to touch its delicate wings. Christina followed until it darted out of sight, then she turned back and reached for Cathee's free hand.

Cathee's other hand had been claimed by Garrett. Cathee's fears were dissipating. She was surprised by how natural it felt to be walking with her hand enveloped by Garrett's.

They walked back to the car quickly. The heat gave them incentive to hurry. As Garrett opened the car doors, they could feel the heat escaping from the car. He reached across the passenger seat to stick the keys in the ignition, turned over the engine, then flipped on the air conditioning. He glanced up at Cathee, who was staring, wide eyed. "I think we'll need the air."

"No doubt." She agreed.

Garrett stepped back to let Cathee buckle in Christina, then climb into her own seat. He shut the doors and headed over to the driver's side.

As the air conditioning struggled to cool the heated interior, Garrett turned to Cathee, "Do you have a map to the Brown vs. Board of Education Site?"

She pulled a folded Mapquest page from her purse. "Here it is. I have one for all the sites I wanted to see this week." She patted the bag and laughed. "I like to carry a lot of stuff with me. That's why I have such a big bag."

Garrett smiled then opened the folded page. He glanced over the directions. "It's about ten minutes from the sandwich shop. We should have plenty of time to catch the tour."

"I'm not worried about it. The site doesn't close until 5:00."

He looked over his shoulder and backed carefully past the bus still parked next to the sedan. The passengers had apparently decided to stay and tour the grounds, just as they had done.

The car didn't have time to completely cool before they arrived at the sandwich shop. They ordered quickly, then sat at the tall stools at an eating bar. Garrett hoisted Christina so she didn't have to climb. "Thanks, Mr. Garrett."

"My pleasure." He smiled, catching her gaze.

_I wonder,_ Cathee thought, _why he is always looking into Christina's eyes. Does it have something to do with his therapy training? I like him looking into my eyes. I feel like he is making a sincere effort to get to know who I really am, but should an adult make the same kind of eye contact with a child?_ She glanced through her eyelashes at Garret. He seemed genuinely caring. _He's done the same thing to everyone we've met. It must be a therapeutic technique. Really paying attention to someone else–even if it is just a waitress taking our food order...or a child making a simple comment._

After they finished their meal, they headed back to the car. The car had already lost all the cool air by the time Garrett opened the doors. He re-played the earlier scene, and Cathee appreciated his making the effort to get the cooling on before he climbed into the car. In the Kansas heat, every second of air conditioning counted.

# Chapter 9, State Capitol

As Garrett had predicted, the Brown vs. Board of Education Historical Site was about ten minutes away.

Cathee walked slowly along the sidewalk heading to the school, imagining what it was like for the black students. She didn't think she would be that brave. Even though the Topeka high schools were integrated at that time, it must have been scary for the elementary students attending a white school.

She wondered how it had felt for the white students being forced into allowing blacks at the schools. How had they felt?

_It must have been strange for all the kids being thrown into the middle of the racial divide their parents and grandparents had created. Now students of all colors mix in daily life. Restaurants, schools, work. The hope is that we are a nation united and color blind. But the continued illegal immigrant problem reveals the cracks in that thought._ Cathee shook her head slightly, as if to clear her thoughts. _Juan colors the whole issue in my mind. I don't think I can think about it logically._

A dark-haired Ranger met them at the door. Her name badge read "Wren." She greeted Christina warmly. "Would you like to earn your Junior Ranger Badge?"

Christina nodded.

"Here is a coloring booklet and pencil. If you answer all the questions by the end of your self-guided tour, you can get a badge from me."

"What does 'self-guided' mean?"

Wren smiled. "It means you get to go to all the exhibits by yourself. Your mom and dad can help you find the answers."

Christina's brows furrowed. "I don't have a dad."

Flustered and obviously embarrassed, Wren tried to fix her mistake, "Oh, um, I'm sorry. The adults with you can help."

Pink with embarrassment, Cathee reached for Christina's hand. "Come on, Sweetie. I'll help you." They walked with Garrett, who had once again reached for Cathee's hand–seemingly unruffled by Wren's faux pas, toward the first exhibit. Cathee dropped Garrett's hand and reached for Christina's booklet. She flipped through it to see what kinds of questions needed answered. It didn't look too difficult, but the first requirement was to watch a video which the ranger would have to start. She closed the booklet and walked back to the ranger's office. "Would you mind turning on the video for us?"

Wren smiled warmly, apparently trying hard to forget she'd just made a false assumption about them. "I'd be happy to. It only takes a few minutes to watch."

"Thanks." Cathee smiled back, as eager to forget as Wren was.

They spent the next hour going through all the exhibits. The booklet helped keep Christina focused. At the end of their tour, Christina approached Wren. "I finished my book."

Wren smiled. "That's awesome." She opened the booklet to the last page, signed the certificate, then reached into her desk for a silver plastic badge. "Here is your badge. I hope you have a wonderful time here in Topeka."

"Thanks." Christina looked down to admire the badge, then ran over to Garrett and Cathee. "Look. I'm a ranger now."

Garrett seemed enthusiastic. "Cool. I can tell you'll be an awesome one."

Christina stared up at him with a puzzled expression. "What does a Ranger do?"

"What do you think a Ranger does?"

She pondered a moment. "Hand out coloring booklets and pencils?"

Garrett laughed. "Sounds about right. Do you think you can do that?"

Christina frowned slightly. "Can I stay with you instead?"

Garrett ruffled her curls. "You can certainly stay with your mom."

Cathee was glad he wasn't forcing any kind of commitments out of her. She wasn't going to give any.

As they headed out of the air conditioned building, the heat hit them like a wall. They hurried to the car where Garrett quickly turned on the air conditioning before they climbed in. Cathee looked over at Garrett as he buckled his seat belt. "Do you ever wonder what they did before air conditioning?"

He shook his head. "But now you mention it, I can only imagine everything would have to shut down in midday. An afternoon nap is about all I could do in this heat."

"Maybe we've just grown soft, but I can't imagine doing any work in heat like this." Cathee shuddered.

"When I'm home with Mommy, she won't let me play outside in the middle of the day."

Cathee turned to look at her daughter. "I would hope not. You'd get heat stroke."

"What's that?"

"It's when you get way too hot, and your body can't get cool." Cathee informed her.

"Your Mommy is wise to keep you inside. You can play outside in the morning or evening when it isn't so hot."

"Mommy lets me watch TV when I can't play outside."

Garrett laughed. "Sounds like you aren't hurting too much, then."

Christina pushed her bottom lip out in a pout. "I don't like watching TV. I'd rather play outside."

"I'm sure you would." He sounded placating, then turned to Cathee. "It's only 1:30. Did you want to see something else, or do you want to go back to the hotel?"

She bit her lip a moment, trying to decide. Finally, she said, "Let's go see the capitol building. It's not far from the hotel, and the tour shouldn't take long. The last tour is at 2:00."

"We should make it in plenty of time, as long as we can find a parking spot."

Cathee held up crossed fingers and smiled. "We can only hope."

Garrett's answering smile warmed his eyes. His eyes met hers, then he turned his attention to the road. They were following the one-way road near the capitol building about ten minutes later.

"Ah. Your fingers did the trick. Someone is just leaving." Garrett stopped behind a car pulling away from a parking meter. "Looks like they left some time on the clock."

They climbed out of the car into the heat and quickly stepped to the curb. Garrett fed the meter with a couple of quarters, and they headed up to the cream-colored building. "Limestone?" Garrett directed his question to Cathee.

She nodded. "It's out of local quarries."

"What's a quarry?" Christina was curious again.

"That's a place where they get rock from."

Christina looked puzzled, but then her attention was drawn to the tall trees decorating the manicured lawn in front of the building. "How come those trees are so tall?"

"They've been here a long time, Honey. The building is older than the Governor's mansion we saw this morning."

"Does it stink inside?"

Garrett laughed, and Cathee fought to hide her amusement. "I don't know. Let's go inside and see."

A discreet sign directed visitors to a door to the side of the building. Christina's eyes grew big as they stepped into a dark, stone-lined walkway. She whispered. "This looks like a cave. Do bears live here?"

Once again, Cathee fought her urge to laugh and answered her daughter seriously. "I don't think bears live in Kansas, Honey, except at the zoo. I'm sure no one would let a bear move into the capitol building."

Christina held tightly to Cathee's hand while Garrett opened the heavy door. Two security guards, one with dark hair and dark eyes and the other with red hair and blue eyes, watched expectantly as they approached. "Please put your purse and any contents from your pockets on the conveyor belt." They obeyed and walked through the metal scanner. As they retrieved their belongings, the red-headed guard seemed apologetic. "Sorry for the inconvenience. There's a special session today. The House and the Senate are working out a compromise on the Recovery Package."

"Oh. I didn't know they met in the summer."

"Normally, they don't, but a session can be called for in an emergency."

Garrett smiled. "I'd call the recovery program an absolute emergency."

The guard raised his eyebrows, unsure how to respond. Garrett hadn't expected a response. He reached for Cathee's free hand and was heading down the marble hallway without a backward glance. As they emerged from the side hallway, Cathee gasped in delight. "There's the cage elevator. I'd like to ride that before we leave."

Garrett turned to her with a puzzled expression. "Can you do that?"

Cathee nodded excitedly. "It's supposed to be kept in working order. Kind of a working monument to the past."

Garrett glanced at his watch. "The next tour starts in five minutes. Where does it start?"

"I'm not sure." She scanned the central area and saw a group of people gathering near one of the other hallways. "Maybe that's it."

Garrett dropped Cathee's hand and pulled his digital camera out of his shirt pocket. "Picture time." He grinned. He took a picture of Cathee and Christina with the tour group, then tucked the camera away as the guide started her presentation. Her name badge read 'Martha.' "Since there is a special session on right now," she spoke quietly. They had to listen closely. "We ask that you turn off your cell phones. If you need to communicate, please whisper so we won't distract the lawmakers." She paused while members of the group checked their phones. Cathee pulled her phone out to make sure it was off then tucked it back into her purse.

When the shuffling had stopped, Martha continued, "In January of 1861, Kansas joined the Union. Construction on this building began five years after statehood shortly after the Civil War ended. It took 37 years to finish the building. However, it wasn't until 2002 _Ad Astra,_ the statue of a Kansa Warrior, was added to the top of the dome. The statue was created by Richard Bergen and takes its name from the state motto, _Ad Astra per Aspera_ , or 'to the stars through difficulty.'"

Garrett bent down to quietly whisper in Cathee's ear. "That explains all the astronauts who have come from Kansas." Cathee smiled in response.

Martha glared at his interruption, but continued her presentation. "With the addition of the statue, our capitol building is actually 16 feet higher than the Capitol of the United States."

"Even though the east wing was completed first, the north wing was meant to be the main entrance. Most of the buildings in Topeka at the time were north of the site. The north doors are carved with the state seal." Martha spoke quietly while leading the group to the center of the building. "As you can see, the marble floor is set with directional letters. For those of us who are directionally challenged," she paused while quiet laughter erupted from the group, "we can refer to the first floor to orient ourselves." She turned and directed their attention to the caged elevator. "You probably noticed the elevator when you entered. It is an actual working elevator that was installed in 1923. During the 1976 bicentennial year, the state legislature voted to maintain the elevator. You might want to take a moment after the tour to ride it."

Christina looked up at Cathee in excitement. "Can we try it, Mommy?"

Cathee smiled down at her. "I was planning to."

"The murals on this floor depict various moments in Kansas history. They are painted directly on the plaster and were completed in 1953. The artist is a Topeka native, David H. Overmyer. After the tour, feel free to spend some time examining his work. For those of you who might be wondering, there is a tornado shelter available. The entrance is near the museum store where the tour began." A few of the tourists craned their necks to view the hallway where they could access the shelter.

Martha moved over to a marble staircase. "We'll now head on to the second floor. If anyone needs an elevator to the next floor, there is a public elevator in the southwest corner not far from the shelter entrance." A few people moved toward the elevators, and the remaining members of the group followed the guide up the marble steps.

Cathee hesitantly reached for the bronze metal lining the banister. She wasn't sure she was supposed to touch the shiny surface, but the smooth marble stairs made her nervous.

As the tour group gathered at the top of the stairs, the guide continued her presentation. "The east and west wings contain murals painted by another Kansas native, John Steuart Curry. His mural, _Tragic Prelude_ , of John Brown before the civil war, is considered one of his best. He had originally planned eight murals for the capitol rotunda. When protests erupted about removing marble panels to accommodate his murals, he didn't finish the planned work. Since he didn't consider the murals complete without the entire set, he refused to sign his work."

Sounds of surprise rose from the group, but Martha continued as if she hadn't heard. "If you'll take a moment to look around, you'll notice the colorful marble throughout the building. Thanks to the advent of the railroad, we were able to import from various areas. The dark red marble was imported from Belgium, the black and white marble came from Georgia, and the brownish marble came from Tennessee. Various marbles also were imported from Italy and Mexico. If you have time, you might want to visit the Overland Station just a few minutes from here."

Cathee stretched up to whisper to Garrett, "I was planning on visiting the Station later this week."

Garrett nodded an acknowledgement, still listening to Martha.

"This floor houses the governor's office. The standing governor chooses what items to display." She paused a moment near the elaborately carved door. "Let's move on to the third floor." The group separated into those riding the elevator and those walking up the steps.

As they moved to the stairway, Cathee whispered to Garrett, "I can tell this building was made before the government figured people had no sense."

He furrowed his brow. "What are you talking about?"

"Look at the railing around the stairwell."

"Yes?"

"It's only waist high."

"So?"

"A government building today would have to make it high enough so people couldn't just lean a little too far and topple over. Can you imagine the lawsuits waiting to happen?"

Garrett snickered. "Since the building was just renovated, I guess the people in charge here figured Kansans are smart enough to know how far to lean over."

"Yeah. They must." Cathee held Christina's hand a little tighter. "Just stay close to me, Christina. I don't want you near that stairwell."

"Why not?"

"That's a long way down, and the floor is marble."

"What does that mean?"

"It's rock hard, Sweetie. It wouldn't feel very nice to land on."

"Oh."

Cathee started to feel lightheaded. All these open floors, and they were heading to the third floor. She hated heights. She'd feel better if the stairwell was enclosed, or at least as high as the railings at the Capitol Plaza Hotel. She didn't feel as unsafe there.

As they gathered at the top of the third flight of stairs, Martha whispered. "This is the floor where the House and Senate meet. They're in session right now. If you'd like, you can walk to the center and look over the railing to the floors below. There's also a nice view of the rotunda ceiling there. The flags on display in the rotunda represent the nations who have controlled Kansas territory in the past. They include the United Kingdom, the French Monarchy then the French Republic, Mexico, Spain, and then Texas." She paused a moment while some of the tourists pulled out their cameras. "There's a snack bar around the corner. We'll regroup on the fourth floor in about ten minutes."

Cathee glanced through the archway and shuddered. The balcony railing was no higher than that around the stairwell. Garrett reached for her hand and they moved together toward the center. Cathee stopped short. "I can see from here."

Garrett looked down at her, his brow furrowed. "I thought you wanted to see the Capitol Building?" His voice rose in a question.

Cathee was firm. She really didn't want to stare down at the marble floor three stories below. "I _am_ touring the building, and I'm seeing what I want to see."

"Okay?" His voice still held a question.

"Can I go with Mr. Garrett, Mommy?"

Cathee nodded hesitantly. "Just hold on to his hand, please."

"I will. I promise." She skipped along with Garrett. Apparently, Cathee's extreme fear of heights hadn't been inherited. She watched as they leaned over the railing and Garrett pointed out the murals above and the marble floor below.

She wanted to drop to her knees and crawl over to get her daughter, but she controlled the impulse and waited, her heart pounding in fear. The floaty feeling returned, and she touched the cold marble lining the wall as an anchor. She took a deep breath. _You_ _can do this. You'll be fine_.

Garrett turned around and caught the fear in Cathee's eyes. He hurried over with Christina skipping along. "Are you alright?"

Cathee nodded. "I'm fine. Heights just make me nervous."

"I can see that." He looked down, tenderness in his eyes. "Do you want to skip the next floor?"

"No. I really want to see the galleries."

"What are those?"

"Balconies overlooking the Senate and House floors. I've always wanted to see a live session. I thought they'd be on break right now."

"So did I." He paused again and scrutinized her face. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

She nodded determinedly and squared her shoulders. "Let's go."

Garrett's warm hand enveloped hers as they headed to another set of marble stairs. Once again, Cathee rested her free hand on the bright metal lining the rails. As they reached the top, Martha was already talking. "You'll notice the letters 'K' and 'S' carved into the top newel post on each set of stairs. Also, please take a moment to look at the top of the Corinthian columns. The detail and craftsmanship are astounding." She glanced up as Garrett, Cathee and Christina arrived while continuing her presentation. "The doors on the west and east lead into the galleries. We will head on up to the dome, but if you'd like to see a session after the tour, you may enter quietly. There are a few seats available in each gallery where you can spend a few moments listening to the session. Please check your cell phones and make sure they are off." Cathee pulled out her cell phone to re-check that it was off, as did many of the other tourists. After they'd put back their cell phones, Martha led them to the bottom of the next set of stairs.

Cathee clung to Garrett's hand. She was feeling more lightheaded the higher they went. His brow furrowed in concern. "Are you sure you want to go up?"

Cathee bit her lip, then nodded. "I don't want to miss the murals."

Garrett shook his head. "I hope you aren't disappointed."

She took a deep breath. "Me, too."

They walked up the final flight of stairs while Cathee looked determinedly at each riser, terrified to look over the rail she was holding. Christina was hopping lightly from step to step, completely fearless.

Martha waited patiently for the group to reform, then continued her presentation. "Originally, the murals in the dome were those painted by the Italian artist Jerome Fedeli in 1898. His design included Grecian women who were partially clothed. The murals were considered too risqué at the time, so a Chicago firm was hired to redecorate in 1902. The four allegorical murals you see today were painted by the firm Crossman and Study. The four murals are _Knowledge_ , _Peace_ , _Plenty_ , and _Power_. Gary Barnes was hired in 1978 to clean and recondition the paintings. If you look closely, you'll notice he added his portrait to the easel the figure Art is holding." Cathee kept her eyes on the murals and concentrated on the guide's words. She didn't want to think about the marble floor below. Garrett put his arm around her shoulders, and she appreciated his quiet strength. "This concludes the tour of the Capitol Building. There are public elevators at the northeast and southwest corners of the building, or you can walk back down the stairs. I will be in the museum office on the first floor if you have any questions. Feel free to spend some time examining the building, its architecture, and the art here. The building is open until 5:00."

Garrett leaned down to whisper. "Did you want to take the elevator?"

Cathee nodded, and they headed to the northeast corner. As they stepped in the elevator, Cathee instructed Christina, "Push on number four. I want to stop and listen to a legislative session."

"OK, Mommy."

As they stepped out of the elevator, Garrett asked,"Which gallery did you want to see?"

"I'd like to see them both, but I'm not sure how distracting it is to have people in the gallery. I guess I'd like to see the Senate if I have to choose."

Garrett nodded. "The Senate is on the east." He reached for Cathee's hand and headed to the Senate gallery.

"Look at the little window, Mommy." Christina headed to a small window overlooking the grounds. She sat down and pressed her face to the glass. "I can't see our car."

"It's on the other side of the building. You won't be able to see it from here." Cathee walked past the overstuffed settees next to the wall, keeping as far from the waist-high stair railing as she could. She didn't feel as nervous standing next to the double-paned window overlooking the grounds. The window barely reached her knee, and she knelt beside Christina to share the view. Garrett followed behind, camera in hand.

"I'd like a quick photo, if you don't mind."

"Not at all." Cathee was glad Garrett was taking pictures. She hadn't brought her camera. Her pictures always blurred unless she brought a tripod along.

Cathee and Christina smiled up at the camera, then Garrett reached down to help Cathee stand. "Thanks." Cathee muttered as she brushed invisible dust from her jeans. She turned to address Christina. "You need to be very quiet, Honey. They are discussing legislation, and we need to be careful not to distract them."

"What does 'distract' mean?"

Cathee sighed.

Garrett ruffled Christina's curls. "It means they shouldn't even know we're in the gallery. We have to pretend to be invisible. Can you pretend to be invisible?"

A crease formed between Christina's brows. "I don't know how to be invisible. What do I do?"

Garrett chuckled quietly. "You have to move very quietly and not say a word. Can you do that?"

Christina nodded, then they all moved to the Senate Gallery door. Garrett opened the door slowly, and they quietly entered the gallery. Cathee stifled a gasp as Christina quickly moved to the left. What had looked like a drop off to the floor below was simply a step down to more chairs. Her fluttering heart settled down as they sat together and watched the session. After several minutes of quietly sitting, Christina started to fidget. When the Senate speaker announced a break, Cathee reached for Christina's hand and signaled she was ready to leave. Garrett rose with them. They quickly exited through the gallery door.

As they approached the center of the building, Cathee asked, "Do you think it's safe to turn on our cell phones yet? I've left mine off all day, and I'm not sure if that lawyer from New York, Alec Mills, wanted to get in touch with me."

"I don't see how it can hurt. Martha was mostly concerned about the cell phones in the gallery." He reached for his own phone to turn it on while Cathee reached for hers.

They were approaching the stairwell as she looked to see if she had messages. "I have one message. Maybe it's from Mr. Mills."

Garrett tried to hide his alarm. If it was from New York, the peace he'd been feeling would quickly disappear. He was sure Mr. Mills would tell her about Juan's escape. "I doubt there's adequate reception here. Why don't you wait until we're outside to check?"

Cathee looked at him doubtfully, but then started to tuck the phone back into her purse. As she eased the phone into its pocket, it started to ring. She pulled it back out. "It looks like a New York area code."

Garrett stifled a sigh. So much for trying. "You'll have to take the call, then." He prayed it wouldn't be that lawyer again, but it was a prayer that had little hope.

He watched warily as Cathee answered the phone.

# Chapter 10, Phone Call

"Hello?"

A familiar voice rang in her ear, but it wasn't a voice she expected. It was a voice from the past, a voice she never wanted to hear again. "Cathee." He paused, as if relishing her fear through the phone lines. "You might as well walk over to the railing and throw yourself over. If you wait 'til I get you, you'll feel pain in places you never knew you had." Cathee dropped to the floor, sheer terror making it impossible to stand. She threw the phone across the room, not wanting to hear one more strain of that voice, then she covered her face with her hands and sobbed.

Garrett watched the phone fly and desperately wanted to grab it and unload on whoever had called, but he raced to Cathee's side instead. Christina ran to grab the phone while Garrett wrapped his arms around Cathee. "What is it? Who called?"

"Turn it off. Turn it off." Cathee hissed desperately.

Garrett quickly turned to Christina. "Turn the phone off, please."

Christina looked desperate. "I don't know how."

Feeling torn by his desire to rip into the caller and please Cathee, his desire to please her won out. He reached for the phone and held down the 'end call' key until the phone went dark.

Cathee turned her tear-streaked face up to Garrett. She was visibly shaking, and terror was written on her face. She whispered hoarsely, "How did he know where I was? It was like he knew exactly where I was standing. Can people _do_ that?"

"Do what? I don't understand."

Cathee covered her mouth and rocked back and forth, trying to keep herself together. The other tourists had quickly evacuated when they'd seen Cathee collapse and Garrett go to her. They didn't want to be part of a domestic dispute. It was way too awkward.

Finally, Cathee stilled herself. She sat on her hands, an effort to keep them from shaking. "It was Juan. I don't understand. I thought he was in jail. He...he told me to jump. How could he know where I was standing?"

Garrett's face went white. He reached to pull Cathee up and then wrapped his arms around her. He whispered into her hair. "I'm so sorry. I should have told you this morning."

Cathee pushed back and looked up into Garrett's anguished eyes. She shook her head slightly, trying to clear out her confusion. "I don't understand. What was it you should have told me?"

"There was an announcement on the newscast this morning about Juan's escape."

Cathee's brows furrowed as she made the connection with his apprehensive appearance as they were approaching him that morning. "If you knew, why didn't you tell me?"

Garrett reached to stroke her hair, an attempt to calm both of them. "I'm so sorry. I just didn't want to worry you. I thought we could leave the worrying to the authorities, but, apparently, I was wrong."

"I...I still don't understand. How could he know where I was?"

"Maybe it was just a coincidence. Maybe he was saying things that made you think he knew where you were."

She shook her head vigorously. "No. He told me to throw myself over the railing. It was like he was right here, watching me." She scanned the room frantically, desperately searching for a face she didn't want to see.

"Cathee, Cathee." Garrett gently held her face in his hands. "Look at me, please."

She stopped her frantic search and looked into his eyes.

"Cathee. It is not physically possible for him to have made it to Kansas. He just escaped New York last night, and security is too tight in every airport for him to have flown." He paused to make sure she was comprehending and could see the terror gradually recede. "He isn't here. It's physically impossible."

Cathee's voice was anguished. "Then how could he possibly know where I was standing, as if he was here with us?"

Garrett paused a moment, carefully thinking through the options. "What carrier do you have?"

"I don't understand."

"What cell phone carrier do you have?"

"Oh." Her face cleared. "AT&T."

"Anyone with an AT&T cell phone can track anyone else if they've paid for the service. You have to go in and physically click on an 'opt-out' key to keep people from tracking you. If he somehow got your number, he'd be able to tell where you were anytime your phone is on."

Cathee gasped. "I had no idea. How would he get my number? I thought cell phones weren't listed."

"You can Google almost any name and number and have information show up. If you've ever listed your number in any publication, it will show up."

Cathee groaned. "What can I do?"

"The first thing we need to do is contact the authorities. They need to trace that number as soon as possible to locate Juan. Do you want me to call the police, or do you want to do it?"

Cathee shook her head vigorously, her face a mask of horror. "Can you imagine the swarm of reporters if we called the police from the State Capitol during a special session?" She shuddered. "I'd like to keep this as low key as possible."

Garrett paused a moment, considering their options. "Would you feel better if we went directly to a police station, then?"

She nodded. "That would work." She turned to Christina, whose face was streaked with tears. "Honey, are you ok?" Cathee asked in alarm.

Christina shook her head. "Mommy, I'm scared."

"Sweetheart, it's ok. We're going to the police to tell them about it. We'll be fine. You don't need to worry, ok?" She hugged her daughter, then reached in her purse for a tissue. "Let's clean up, then we need to go."

Christina sniffled. "Ok, Mommy."

They loaded into the public elevator, each of them too overwrought to consider stopping for a ride in the caged elevator.

They hurried to the car where Garrett turned on the air conditioner. He buckled up Christina while Cathee stood next to the car, shivering in the heat. Garrett tried to hide his concern, but he knew she could be heading for shock. She'd had too many emotional events in the past couple of days. He helped Cathee into the car, then reached for the towel protecting the back seat. He tucked it around Cathee. When she looked at him with questioning eyes, he said simply, "You seem to be cold. I thought this might help."

"Th-thank you."

"No problem."

He pulled out his cell phone and searched for the nearest police station. In less than ten minutes, they could see the station. Cathee perked up. "Look. That's the Overland Railroad Station just up the street."

Garrett stared at her a moment, then blurted out, "Don't tell me you're still planning to visit the place."

Cathee dropped her eyes in confusion. "I... I'm not sure what I'm going to do." She met his eyes. "I can only take it one step at a time."

Garrett nodded. "You're right, of course. First things first. Let's get the authorities involved."

"Yes, let's."

Garrett was relieved to see her shivering had stopped. Hopefully, shock wouldn't set in. It wouldn't be safe to leave her alone if it did.

He stepped out into the heat and walked around the car to open the door for Cathee. She sat still with the door opened, so Garrett opened Christina's door and released her from her booster seat. He turned to Cathee. "We need to get that number turned into the police."

Cathee shuddered. "I know. I'm just...scared." She looked up at Garrett with fear-filled eyes.

"It'll be ok. If they can trace the number, it won't be long before he's caught." Garrett reached a hand out to help Cathee up, and she took it gratefully. He reached an arm around her back to offer support while they moved up the sidewalk to the station doors. Christina beat them to the door and held the door open while they walked in. Cathee was grateful for the help. Fear gripped her, and she could hardly feel her legs.

Garrett led her to a worn black leather couch in the waiting area. Christina snuggled in next to her mother. He moved to the counter where bullet-proof glass divided the desk clerk from the waiting area. "I need to speak to an officer as soon as possible."

The clerk behind the glass sounded bored. "You need to call on that black wall phone and talk to dispatch. They'll send an officer."

Garrett tried to hide his frustration. "You don't understand. This is important. It's about the escapee from New York."

The clerk shook her head. "I'm sorry. I can't contact the officers."

"Aren't there any in the building?"

She nodded. "There are, but I'm not allowed to contact them. You have to go through dispatch. I'm sorry." She turned back to her paperwork, and Garrett picked up the phone, feeling frustrated.

"This is 911. What is your emergency?"

"I have information on finding Juan Ortiz, the escapee from New York."

"What is your location?"

"I'm at the police station close to the Overland Railroad Station."

"I'll send out an officer right away."

"Thanks."

After he hung up, he suddenly remembered the 800 number listed on the morning news. He picked up his cell phone and dialed 1-800-GET-JUAN.

"Hello. How may I help you?"

"I have information on the location of Juan Ortiz."

The person on the other side of the line suddenly sounded interested. "How do you know it's Juan?"

"He called..." Garrett paused, wondering what he should say. He didn't want to give out Cathee's name. Finally, he continued with the only phrase he thought would fit "my girlfriend." Garrett tried not to watch Cathee's surprised expression at the announcement. "She was a friend of his several years ago, so she recognized his voice."

"Do you have the number he called from?"

Garrett turned to Cathee. "I need your cell phone, please." She fumbled in her purse and handed over the phone.

He turned the phone on, scrolled to the last received number, then rattled off the phone number. "He called about 15 minutes ago."

"Thanks for the information. We'll put a tracer on it."

"You're welcome." He paused, wondering if his request would fall on deaf ears. "Is there any way you can let us know where he's at? My girlfriend" Garrett was surprised by how right the word felt, "is scared he's coming after her. He was threatening her life."

"I'll do my best. Where can I reach you?"

Garrett told him his name and cell number, then carefully shut off Cathee's phone. If Juan was tracing her through her phone, it was important to keep it off. He sat next to Cathee and put a comforting arm around her.

Cathee, Christina, and Garrett looked up as a uniformed officer entered the building. "Are you the ones with information on Juan Ortiz?"

They nodded. Garrett pulled his arm away from Cathee and stood to talk. He didn't feel comfortable discussing the events from the couch. He quickly informed the officer about the events in the Capitol Building. The officer nodded and scribbled into his notepad.

Cathee stood up to join Garrett, then reached into her purse and pulled out the paper she'd written the case number on. "Officer..." she peered at his badge, "Hansen?"

He nodded an acknowledgement.

"I was asked by a lawyer in New York, Alec Mills, to make a report on some events that had to do with Juan Ortiz. I was going to make the report in Wichita, where I live, but, since we're here, can you take the report?"

Officer Hansen nodded. "I can take it, but it might be easier to make a report where the trial is taking place."

"The trial will be in New York."

"I don't suppose it matters whether the report is made in Wichita or Topeka then. I'll take it."

Cathee handed the paper to Officer Hansen. "This is the case number."

He took the paper, wrote down the number, then handed it back.

She stuffed the Mapquest page back into her purse, then glanced down at Christina, who had remained seated. "I'd rather not have my daughter involved in this. Is there somewhere private we can meet?"

"Of course. I have an office in the back of the building."

Garrett was concerned. He'd seen her in meltdown mode too many times. "Will you be alright, Cathee?"

Cathee closed her eyes a moment and swallowed hard, then she caught Garrett's eyes. "I'll be fine. Can you watch Christina for me? I don't think this will take long." She directed a questioning glance at the officer.

"No, it shouldn't take long." He glanced at his watch, then looked up at Cathee. "I'm not sure what you need to say, but let's aim for thirty minutes."

She nodded, then followed Officer Hansen through a heavy metal door and down a narrow hall.

His office was sparsely furnished. The metal desk dominated the room with a worn dark green leather office chair settled behind it. A black laptop sat open on the desk, the cursor blinking sullenly at them. Off-white paint was peeling off the two metal folding chairs propped against the wall. Officer Hansen opened one and sat it in front of the desk.

He moved behind the desk then settled into his chair. "I'm just going to turn on this recorder. I'll type out the report later. Is that ok?"

Cathee nodded, her throat dry. She hadn't ever told this story, and she hoped she'd get it right. Although she didn't have her notes with her, she was grateful for the time she'd spent writing. It had clarified the events. This wasn't going to be easy, but at least she had everything fresh in her mind.

He pressed the 'record' button, then rolled the chair forward so he could rest his elbows on the desk, his hands pressed together with his fingers pointing her direction, a subtle accusation she found discouraging. This was something she should have done six years before. Squaring her shoulders, she began her story...

* * *

"Where is Mommy going?" Christina rose in alarm.

Garrett stepped over and picked up the little girl. "It's ok. Your Mommy just needs to talk to an officer for a few minutes. We need to stay here." He glanced around the room and spotted a few children's books. "Look. There are some books. Why don't you gather them up so we can read?"

He put Christina back on the floor. She obediently moved around the room to gather the books and stacked them neatly on the coffee table in front of the couch they had previously vacated.

Garrett couldn't help himself. He started to pace the floor. _This is beyond reasonable._ He raked his hand through his hair in frustration. _I haven't felt this way since Jill...Don't even go there. Cathee needs me. Christina needs me. I need to be strong. How can Cathee unload this whole story with all the garbage she's been handed in the past couple of days?_ He stopped pacing and stared at the door. _Maybe I should go in and stop this. She doesn't_ have _to testify. She hasn't been delivered a summons._ He started to pace again, helplessly agonizing over the events in the other room.

He took a deep breath and turned to Christina. There were two stacks of books on the table. She picked out the top book from one stack, thumbed through the pages, and then put the book on the second pile. He was grateful she was entertaining herself. He caught her nervously peeking at him. _She must be as scared as I am._ He looked down at her a moment, then moved over to sit next to her. "Which book would you like me to read?"

"This one."

It was _The Kissing Hand_ by Audrey Penn. It was a book he had in his own library, one he used regularly in therapy. It wasn't a book he chose to read to his clients himself. It was one he had the parents read to the child. He knew the story well. It was a book meant to be read by parents to their children. He closed his eyes. The pain of the loss of his Jill ripped through him. _Christina needs me._ He opened his eyes and quietly read through the book.

The next book was easier. _Frog on a Log_ by Phil Roxbee Cox wasn't one he was familiar with. When he closed the book, Christina asked, "Can we read it again, please?"

Obediently, he opened the book and re-read it. The next book was just as easy. _Mr. Brown Can Moo_ by Dr. Seuss had been one of his childhood favorites.

There were three books by Nancy Shaw: _Sheep in a Ship, Sheep in a Shop,_ and _Sheep in a Jeep_. Christina asked to have them re-read four times.

After two readings of _Love You Forever_ by Robert Munsch, another book he kept in his RAD therapy library, and three readings of Bill Martin Jr.'s _Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?_ , Cathee finally emerged.

Garrett looked up, fearful of what he might see. He was relieved. She seemed to be relaxed. It must have gone well.

She sounded almost cheerful. "Ready to go?"

Christina jumped up, and Garrett hurried to open the door.

After they all loaded into the car, he turned to Cathee. "Do you feel like dinner?"

She stopped the shake of her head, remembering she needed to be a good example to her daughter. "Something light. A salad, maybe."

"There's a Wendy's not too far from here. Will that do?"

She stared out the window unseeingly. Her voice sounded tired. "That should be fine."

Silence hung heavy during the short trip to the restaurant. "Did you want to go in or go through the drive through?"

Cathee turned to Garrett. "Drive through, please. I'd like the Apple Pecan Salad." She turned to Christina. "What would you like, Sweetie?"

"Can I have an Apple Dipper?"

"They don't serve them here. Would you like a Frosty instead?"

She nodded. "Can I have some chicken nuggets, too?"

"I'm sure they have something similar. Would you like fries with them?"

Christina nodded again, her normally active voice lost. She was unusually subdued. The day had been hard on all of them.

After they went through the drive through and were headed back to the Capitol Plaza Hotel, Garrett cleared his throat. "Uh...I was wondering if you would like to come up to my suite to eat?" Before Cathee could tell him 'no,' he hurried on. "I wanted to pull out my computer and show you how to shut off AT&T Tracking."

He breathed a sigh of relief when Cathee agreed. "Thanks. I'd like that."

They were all quiet for the rest of the trip.

# Chapter 11, Suite

Garrett parked the car close to the hotel. When they loaded into the elevator, he asked Christina. "Could you press button '7,' please."

"Ours is 6." She volunteered.

So...she's on the sixth floor. Narrows it down a bit, anyway.

Cathee stared at the elevator doors, her usual routine in the glass elevator. She didn't like watching the floors shrink below her.

Garrett lead them down the hall to his suite. As they entered, Cathee smiled. "Wow. Nice. My room isn't anything like this."

He looked embarrassed. "I don't usually get a room on the top floor, but it was one of the perks of the assignment. The bathroom is through the doorway on the left. My bedroom is behind that closed door. You can take a tour, if you'd like."

"I didn't realize what you meant when you invited us to your suite. This is like a little apartment. I love the granite countertops in the kitchenette." She walked over to stroke the smooth, cool surface. "I've always wanted a stainless steel fridge." She walked over to the full-size refrigerator and opened the door. There were a few bottles of water stashed inside, but nothing else. She raised her eyebrows and turned to look at Garrett.

He laughed. "I've been eating out every meal. No need to stock it."

"That's true." She shut the fridge and admired the flat black cooking surface on the stove, then opened the full-sized dishwasher. "I didn't realize there would be a kitchen in a hotel."

"It's usually only the suites, and often the suites just have a microwave and a half-size fridge. I guess I lucked out." He rubbed his neck in embarrassment. "Although I haven't taken advantage of the kitchen."

Cathee turned to grin at him. "I can't say I blame you. I enjoy eating out myself...which reminds me, I'd like to start in on my salad. I'm actually hungry now."

Garrett placed the bags of food on the black granite countertop, opened the fridge and pulled out three bottles of water, and then they settled into the bar stools to eat. Before they started eating, he asked Christina to bless the food. Cathee opened her eyes wide in surprise. She hadn't thought to suggest it. She'd forgotten what it was like to have a male in the house to take charge of spiritual matters.

After they finished their dinner, Cathee moved over to the dark green and gold striped couch that matched the stripes on the bar stool cushions. Garrett moved to the desk next to the couch and turned on his laptop. The rolling chair's cushions were the same gold as the stripes on the couch.

"Can I turn on the TV?" Christina asked.

"I don't care, but you need to ask your mother."

"Let me help you find the cartoon channel, Sweetie."

"Cathee, given what we will be discussing here, don't you think it would be better if Christina watched in the other room?"

"Of course."

They moved into Garrett's bedroom. The cover on the king-sized bed matched the furniture in the other room. The dark gray berber carpeting continued from the living area. The flat screen TV was resting on top of an ornate dresser. It was soon blaring an old Scooby Doo episode.

"Let me grab this chair for you." He picked up the wooden chair next to the desk in the bedroom. Its cushions matched the couch and bar stools in the next room. He set the chair next to the rolling one in front of the living room desk. Cathee moved over to sit in it while Garrett pulled up the AT&T screen. He logged into his account. "I don't know why they make it so hard to find, but I thought I'd show you how to do it." He went through a couple of screens and then scrolled down.

"How did you happen to find out about the tracking?"

"One of my client's parents were going through a divorce. His mom told me she was tracking his dad for evidence to support the separation. I value my privacy, especially given some of the clients I've worked with, so I went home that night and made sure my number was blocked. I give out my cell number to all my clients. I don't want any of them tracking me."

"I can certainly understand that." She leaned forward to view the screen better, pulling her hair back so it wouldn't get in the way. "Thanks. I wouldn't have ever found this."

"I don't know how long it takes for the tracking to stop. If your cell phone is off, you can't be traced. I'd think it best if you keep your phone off." He paused and looked down at her, concern written on his face. "In your situation, I think you need to change your number as quickly as possible."

She nodded in agreement. "If I can find a store here, I can get a new SIM card and number this week. That will give me time to notify my office of the change."

"I wanted to show you something else." He pulled up the Google screen and typed in a phone number. A screen of every number possible in that area code pulled up. Garrett scrolled down until he found the number he wanted and clicked on it. A map pulled up with streets surrounding a location switch. "My number is unlisted. I have also made a request to have Google remove it from their database. As you can see, anyone with my number can still see which switch the call is coming off of. It's not too far from my house."

He quickly typed in another number. Paul Andrews and his address popped up. "This is my dad. My parents have a listed number." Garrett typed in the address on Google search, then he clicked on 'street view.' A view of a house taken from the street showed clearly. It was as if they were standing right in front of the house. He clicked on the arrows to show the neighborhood.

Cathee shuddered. "I had no idea how easy it was to find someone. How can I protect myself?"

"It helps if you have an unlisted number."

"I do. I'd prefer the contractors can't reach me at home."

He nodded. "That's wise, but even with an unlisted number, your number can still come up."

"How?"

"Let's say you are doing some kind of activity for someone. You've listed your name and address, and it's posted to a newspaper. Newspapers are considered public domain. Anything in the public domain can be accessed on Google."

"I can't think of anything like that. Hopefully, I'll be ok."

He ran his hand lightly down her hair. "I hope so, too." He shook his head. "I just wish there was something I could do to keep you safe."

They were interrupted by his ringing phone. His brows wrinkled. It wasn't a number he knew. "Hello?"

"Hello? Is this Garrett Andrews?"

"It is."

"I thought you'd like to know we traced that call you told us about."

"And?"

"It was made from a stolen cell phone. The phone and stolen SUV were found just outside of Cincinnati."

"Ohio?"

"Yes." He paused. "Another car was stolen just a block away. That car hasn't been located yet."

Cold fear ran down Garrett's back. _What should I tell Cathee?_ He shook his head to clear it. Sitting at the computer watching his parents' house scared him. How could he protect Cathee and Christina? A killer was after them, and personal information was far too easy to get.

"Thanks for letting me know. Please call if you find anything else."

"I will. Good-bye."

"'Bye." He looked down into Cathee's anxious eyes.

"Well?"

"The phone was found in a stolen SUV."

"Ohio?"

Garrett nodded, "Cincinnati." Concern was clear in his eyes.

Her voice was a hoarse, terrified whisper. "He's coming for me. I know it." She covered her face with her hands, then dropped them helplessly into her lap. "What can I do?"

"Your phone is off. Topeka is a big place. He can't trace you now. You have nothing on record about where you're staying, do you?"

She shook her head.

"You should be safe here." He checked his watch. "It's almost 7:00. I'm not sure how long the AT&T office stays open."

"We can go tomorrow."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. "I'll leave my phone off. I can use the hotel phone in an emergency while I'm here." She paused a moment and bit her lip. "I know you've offered to spend the next couple of days with me, but I hate to take advantage of you."

"You aren't taking advantage of me." He sounded exasperated.

"I'd feel better if I had a cell phone with me. And, well, I feel more comfortable having someone with me. Do you mind coming with me tomorrow?"

Garrett managed to hide a delighted smile. It was just what he wanted. "Not at all." He paused a moment, then asked, "How would you and Christina like to join me for a movie?"

Cathee shuddered. "I really don't want to go out again. Can I take a raincheck?"

"I wasn't planning on leaving. There are a few current movies playing in our rooms."

"Really? I hadn't checked."

"Let's see what's available." He turned on the TV in the living room and scrolled through the 'movies still in theatres' listing. He found a family movie he'd heard good things about. "Does this look good?"

Cathee nodded. "Christina has been begging me to take her, but I haven't had time."

"There's some popcorn in the microwave. It's included with the room–like coffee and tea." He moved over to cook the popcorn.

"Cool. Christina will be impressed." Cathee smiled and snuggled into the couch cushions.

As the popcorn was cooking, he opened the bedroom door. "Do you want to watch a movie with us?"

"Yes!" Christina hopped up, turned off the TV, placed the remote on the dresser, and hurried out to join them.

He poured the popcorn into a strainer he found and handed the popcorn to Christina, who was sitting in the middle of the couch. He wasn't going to complain about the seating arrangements. He was just glad they'd decided to stay.

The empty popcorn bag ended up in the trash under the sink along with the remains of their dinner. He wiped the granite counter with the kitchen cloth included with the suite, then he sat next to Christina to enjoy the movie. When the movie ended, he paused it before the end credits played. After pushing the 'pause' key, he clicked on 'hold until 7:15 pm.' "If you'd like to watch it again, you can rewind from here. Unless you watch to the end, the movie can be paused and held for 24 hours."

"I've never watched an in-theatre movie at a hotel before. This was fun."

Garrett smiled. "I liked the company very much."

Cathee blushed. She wished her face would quit reddening so easily. "It's late. We really need to go."

"When do you want breakfast?"

"How does 8:15 sound?"

"That should be fine." He paused, curiosity filling his eyes. "What did you have planned for tomorrow?"

Cathee reached over to stroke Christina's hair. "I'm still a Mom. I'd like to keep my promises. I want to stay as close to my vacation plans as possible." She paused, fear entering her eyes as she met Garrett's gaze. "Unless you think..." she bit her lip and wondered how to word her fears without scaring her daughter.

He understood her meaning. "No. We should be safe with your phone off. There's no way for you to be traced otherwise."

She breathed a sigh of relief. "That makes me feel better. We can have a few days of peace." She trembled slightly. "I just don't want to think about what happens when I'm back in Wichita."

"Live it one day at a time." He touched her cheek lightly. "Hopefully, Juan will be found by the end of the week."

She trembled again, but this time it wasn't from fear. His touch was wreaking havoc on her heart. She shook herself mentally. She wasn't ready for anything serious. "Hopefully." She looked over at Christina. "Sweetie, it's time to go."

Christina yawned. "Ok, Mommy. I'm tired."

"I thought you would be. It's late."

Garrett walked to the door, then turned to Cathee. "Would you like me to walk you to your room?"

She shook her head. "No, thanks. I'm sure we'll be fine. As you mentioned, there's no way to track us in Topeka."

He resignedly opened the door and watched them walk to the elevator. He shut the door and stared at the couch. It was a hide-a-bed. He hadn't wanted them to leave. He could have asked them to stay, but he didn't want to scare Cathee. She had too many horrors in her life. He knew she didn't trust men. He was more worried about Juan than he wanted Cathee to know.

He moved to his room and knelt to pray. It was a fervent prayer to protect the precious souls he had come to cherish.

# Chapter 12, Arrangement

Cathee tossed her purse on the desk chair as they entered the room and turned to the dresser to get her pajamas. As she was turning, she noticed the phone's flashing light that meant she had a message. She approached the phone slowly, as if it was a snake preparing to strike, terrified of what the message might contain. Shakily, she lifted the receiver and punched in the 'retrieve message' button. "An arrangement has been delivered for you. You can either pick it up at the front desk or have it delivered."

Her eyebrows creased. "An arrangement?" she muttered. "What do they mean–an arrangement?"

She knew a delivery would mean a tip, but she'd saved a lot of money on the trip since Garrett kept paying for their meals. She could have it delivered. She dialed '0.'

"Good evening. How may I help you?"

"Hi. This is Cathee Laurenson in Room 608. I understand I had a delivery today."

"Yes, you did." The night clerk sounded amused. Cathee wondered at it. "Would you like it delivered to your room?"

"Yes, please."

"It will be right up."

"Thanks."

"Is there anything else you need?"

"No. I'm fine."

"Have a nice evening."

"Thanks. You too." She hung up the phone and headed back to her purse. She dug around until she found money for a tip.

A couple of minutes later, a light rap sounded on her door. She looked through the viewing hole cut into the door, but was confused by what she saw. She opened the door slowly and was amazed to see the size of the floral arrangement the hotel employee was holding. He could hardly see over it.

"I...I'm so sorry. You can put it in here." She slid the phone to the edge of the desk to make room for the flowers. "Wow. I had no idea."

He chuckled as she handed him his tip. "I wasn't sure if you were planning a wake in here or not. Glad to see no one is dead."

"Certainly not." Cathee had been through too many harrowing experiences in the last couple of days to appreciate the humor. "Thanks for your help."

"My pleasure." He slid out the door, and Cathee turned to stare at the flowers.

"Mommy, aren't they pretty?"

"They certainly are."

"Where did they come from?"

"I'm not sure, but I'll bet I can guess."

She stepped to the desk and pulled out the card tucked into the arrangement.

_In Celebration of New Beginnings–for both of us_.

Garrett

A tear trickled down her cheek as she tucked the note back into its envelope and hugged it to her chest.

"What's wrong, Mommy? Who is it from?"

"Nothing is wrong, Sweetie." She wiped the tear away with a fingertip and smiled. "It's from Garrett."

"I knew it. I knew it." Christina beamed with excitement. "Isn't he the awesomest?"

"He is awesome," Cathee agreed, "but I'm still tired. Let's get ready for bed, shall we? You need to take a bath."

While Christina was in the tub soaking the day's dirt off, Cathee picked up her phone and dialed room 702. "Garrett?"

"Yes?"

"It's me. Cathee."

"Oh. Hi." She could hear the warmth in his voice, and her heart warmed in return.

"I just wanted to thank you for the beautiful flowers." She gently touched the coral velvet tip of one of the yellow roses. _Yellow signifies friendship._ She smiled wistfully.

"Oh. Wow. I forgot I ordered them. Today has been hectic." _Understatement,_ he thought.

"Yes it has been. When did you order them?"

"This morning before I heard about Juan. The advent of his escape threw it completely out of my mind." He hardly ever forgot anything. The stress of the day had taken its toll. How could he forget he'd ordered an arrangement for her? _You're losing it, Buddy._

"I've never seen such a huge, lovely arrangement. I really love it. Thanks, Garrett."

"You're welcome, Cathee."

"I'll see you in the morning, then?"

"The usual place?"

"Of course." She paused, wondering what else she should say. "Good night. Sleep well."

"You, too. 'Bye."

"'Bye." She whispered, then hung up the phone. For the first time in her life, she ached to be somewhere other than her own solitary bed. She shook herself. It wasn't a feeling she was comfortable with.

After Christina was dried, dressed, and tucked into bed, Cathee went to the bathroom to change. She stared at her image in the mirror. What was it Garrett was seeing in her? She wasn't particularly attractive in her book, and she'd made every effort to push him away. The flowers meant he wasn't planning on leaving.

_What should I do? I'm not ready for a relationship–especially with a widower. When I get married, it will be in the temple to someone I'll have all to myself. I don't want to share_. She started to brush her hair vigorously _. Jill will always be his first love. I don't want to be anyone's second_. She slammed the hairbrush down in anger and stared at herself another moment, then busied herself with getting ready for bed.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, she could see Christina was already fast asleep.

She turned out the lights and climbed into her own bed, then lay awake staring at the ceiling. Her mind filled with all the things she'd done wrong in her life. Her choice to date Juan hadn't been approved by her aunt and uncle. Juan wasn't a member. Her parents and then her aunt and uncle had insisted she date members, but in Salina and then Manhattan after they died, that meant no dating. She refused to think about that dark night with Juan. Instead, she thought back on all the men she'd pushed away. Anyone who acted interested, she'd treated exactly the way she'd treated Garrett. He was the only one who'd bothered to push past her insecurities. "Maybe...maybe," she whispered to herself, "I'm only good enough to be someone's second." She rolled over and cried herself to sleep.

* * *

Garrett lay awake after Cathee's phone call.

_Am I going too fast? Am I pushing her too hard?_ Silently, he shook his head. _Neither of us is getting any younger. It's been enough time for both of us to move on. I know I'm good for her. Christina needs a father. Cathee needs a man she can rely on. I can be there for her._

He sighed. How to persuade her was another story. He could sense her pushing him away–even over the phone. _What can I do?_

Suddenly, the thought came crashing in on him that Cathee might not want to be a second wife. _What am I doing? Is this even fair to her?_ He stared up at the ceiling and thought about Jill. How would she feel about sharing him with Cathee?

He rolled onto his stomach and stuffed a pillow over his head, a useless attempt to shut out his own thoughts. He'd never cared about anyone enough to think about sharing with Jill. Anguished, he stood up and walked to the kitchen. He opened the fridge. A couple of bottles of water–the ones that remained after their shared dinner–stared back at him, making him wish he'd stocked something useful. He needed a snack. Instead, he picked up a bottle and untwisted the cap while he walked through his bedroom and opened the drapes. He stared unseeingly out at the city lights.

Juan wasn't his only problem. He had fallen head over heels in love with Cathee, and he cared for Christina like a daughter. He leaned his head against the cool glass, then closed his eyes. _How did this happen?_ He thought back to the first moment he'd seen her and realized he'd been smitten then.

He hadn't ever believed in love at first sight. He and Jill had dated for several months before he'd decided he wanted to spend an eternity with her. It wasn't a choice he regretted, but he certainly hadn't felt the strike of lightening with her the way he had with Cathee. He shook his head to clear it.

_I'll be what she needs me to be–even if that means letting her go. I don't ever want her to feel she is second best. I will always love Jill. I will never let that go._ He ran a weary hand through his hair. _How can I explain to Cathee? When a parent has another child, his love for the first is not reduced. He loves each child differently. I don't love Cathee the same way I loved Jill. She's different. I'm different, and it was Jill that taught me what I need to be to help Cathee through her issues._

He pondered on all the breakdowns he'd witnessed from Cathee. She needed someone who understood PTSD. She might have started down the road to healing, but she still had a long way to go. He could be patient and careful. He understood the issues she was facing–even if he hadn't gone there himself.

He finished his water, then tossed the bottle into the trash by his nightstand. He crawled into his empty bed, stared at the ceiling, and wished he could sleep. As he finally drifted off, images of Jill and Cathee merged into one.

* * *

Cathee checked the clock on the wall for the third time, watching the elevator anxiously. _What if he's decided I'm too much work for him? I have too many issues. He doesn't want to be with me anymore._ She was about ready to tell Christina to come with her to the breakfast room when Garrett emerged from the elevator, hair still wet from a shower.

"I'm so sorry. I forgot to set the alarm." He was apologetic.

"Don't worry. Nothing I have planned for the day has a specific time. Everything is self-guided the rest of the week."

He let out a grateful sigh. "That's good. I was afraid you weren't going to wait for me."

" _You_ have the cell phone, remember?"

He grinned. "It's nice to be needed."

He reached for Cathee's and Christina's hands, then they headed for the restaurant.

After they were seated and the order was taken, Garrett asked Cathee. "What's first on the agenda today?"

"Um...I thought we'd run over to the AT&T store. I need to get my phone number changed."

"That's right. Do you know where it is?"

She shook her head. "I didn't want to turn on my phone to do a search."

"Ouch. I should have remembered. Let me check." He opened up his phone and did a search. "It's about 20 minutes from here, but it shouldn't be hard to find."

She let out her breath in relief. "That's good. I'm anxious to get that done."

"I'll bet."

The waitress interrupted them with the food. They all ate quietly. Garrett noticed Christina was unusually subdued.

He addressed her, "Did you sleep well?"

Christina nodded.

"What did you want to see today?" Garrett asked.

She perked up. "Mommy promised we'd get to go see the trains."

Cathee lightly stroked Christina's hair. "We'll go right after I get a new phone. Is that ok, Honey?"

Christina nodded, then asked, "Will that take long?"

"It should only take a few minutes. We'll see the trains before lunch."

Christina beamed. "I thought we'd have to wait until tonight."

_No wonder she was feeling sad_. _It's important for Cathee to keep her promises_. Garrett thought. After sticking some twenties with the bill, he scooted his chair back, then helped Cathee with hers.

As they stepped out of the building, Garrett noticed the clouds. "Looks like we'll get some rain today."

"I hope so. It was blazing hot yesterday."

They pulled into the AT&T store a few minutes later. As they entered the store, Cathee looked up at Garrett. "Do you think it's safe to listen to my messages? I might have received one from Mr. Mills or my office."

His brow furrowed, then cleared. "The phone he called on has been found. There's no guarantee another phone he stole will have the tracking feature. I think you can chance it."

She breathed a sigh of relief, then turned on her phone. She dialed into her voicemail and listened to the only message she'd received. "This is Alec Mills. I just wanted to let you know Juan Ortiz escaped. Please take measures to protect yourself. He was telling his cell mate he was planning to get out and finish you off. He was bragging that he'd never left any other witnesses alive." She shuddered then deleted the message.

Garrett raised his eyebrows in question.

"It was Mr. Mills telling me Juan had told a cell mate he wants me dead."

He scowled. "I think we've figured that one out."

She shuddered again, then moved to the associate behind the desk. "I need a new number. Can you give me one?"

"That shouldn't be a problem."

"Can you transfer the numbers from my old number into the new one?"

"I can save the numbers from the SIM card to the phone. That should take care of it."

"Thanks."

She handed over the phone. It only took a few minutes to transfer the numbers from the SIM card to her cell phone, activate the new card, and then insert it. Cathee chewed nervously on her lip, unsure how much to share with the stranger. Finally, she blurted out, "I've had someone tracking me. Can you please get on the account and turn off the tracking for the new number?"

He looked up, startled, then nodded. "Of course. Let me pull up your account." He clicked through a few screens, scrolled down and clicked the 'not allow' button, then logged out. He smiled and handed her the phone. "It's all taken care of. You should be fine."

She smiled her gratitude and relief. "Thanks so much." It felt like a burden had been lifted.

Garrett opened the door for her and asked, "Next stop, Overland Station?"

Cathee nodded, and Christina jumped up and down excitedly. "I get to see the trains!"

Garrett smiled. Her enthusiasm was back. He was relieved.

On the way to the station, Cathee picked up the phone and made a call. "Hi. Debbie? This is Cathee. I just wanted to give you my new number. I'm having some problems with my daughter's father. I needed to switch numbers. Can you update my information for me?" She repeated the number twice, then closed the message. "Thanks."

As she hung up, Garrett asked, "Work?"

She nodded. "I'll need to switch my work's voicemail message when I get back, but I didn't leave a contact number for my vacation week."

"Given how this week has gone, that was a good idea."

"No kidding." She reached over and lightly touched his hand resting on the steering wheel. "Thanks, Garrett...for everything. You've been a strength to me this week."

A smile warmed Garrett's eyes as he caught Cathee's gaze. "It's been my pleasure." He turned his attention back to the road. They drove past the police station. Cathee seemed relaxed as they drove by. "How did the interview go?" He was curious.

She glanced up at him, then back at the scenery. "It was something I should have done six years ago. I'm glad it's over."

"I'm sure."

They were quiet until they turned into the Overland Station a few minutes later.

"What are those flags, Mommy?"

"That's the Veterans' Memorial, Sweetie."

"What's a Veteran?"

"It's someone who has worked for the military, someone who has fought to keep this country free."

"Who had to fight to keep us free?"

"A lot of people have, Honey. Freedom has never been free. Do you remember the story about Nephi and his brothers?"

Christina nodded.

"When they got to this country, Nephi had to make swords like the Sword of Laban. Do you remember why?"

Christina shook her head.

"Laman and Lemuel didn't like how Nephi did things. They wanted him and his people dead. Nephi had to make sure his people were protected. It's the same thing today, Sweetie. Some people don't want anyone to be free. We have to have people who will keep the rest of us free."

"Oh."

Cathee didn't know if Christina was really old enough to understand. _I'll explain again when she's older._

Garrett walked around to open their doors, and they walked over to the Memorial.

"Look at the flowers, Mommy. Aren't they pretty?"

"Yes, honey. I like the orange and blue colors, don't you?"

Christina nodded, and Cathee continued. "Those were planted in honor of the soldiers who have died serving their country."

"What does that mean?"

"It's to help us remember that they gave their lives to defend our freedoms, Sweetie."

They stood quietly for a few moments, then turned to walk across the street.

"Can I climb on the train, Mommy?"

"I'm sure you can."

Christina clambered up the small engine replica sitting in front of the station.

"May I get a picture of you?" Garrett had already pulled out his camera.

Cathee nodded and moved over to stand next to Christina. After Garrett took the picture, Cathee asked shyly, "Would you like me to take a picture of you and Christina?"

Garrett's eyes went wide, then he quickly hid a smile. _Definitely warming. She wants me in a picture with her daughter. Sweet._ "Thanks."

He stepped over to the train and posed next to Christina.

Cathee was happy her picture turned out. He must have an expensive camera. The picture was clear. She normally had to take five pictures before one turned out. They walked into the station, paid the entrance fee, and entered through the iron bar doors.

"Oh, look at the train, Mommy! Isn't it awesome?"

Cathee smiled. "Yes, it is."

The model train filled a good portion of the room. They spent a few moments finding the Disney figurines scattered throughout the display. The life-sized engine replicas set up beside the model were explored next. After a thorough examination, Christina ran to the hallway connecting the train displays with a restaurant.

Tables in the restaurant were set for a reception to be held that evening.

"Aren't the flowers pretty, Mommy?" Christina looked up at Garrett. "Not as pretty as the flowers you gave Mommy, though. They make our room smell nice."

He smiled. "I'm glad you like them."

As Christina moved to look closer at the table settings, Cathee admonished her. "Don't touch the tables, Sweetie. Those are for a reception tonight. They're not for us. Let's go upstairs and see the displays there."

"Okay."

They spent a few minutes walking through the displays. "What are the dishes for, Mommy?"

"Those are from sets used in different passenger trains. Aren't they nice?" Cathee paused to touch one of the chairs sitting next to a wall. "These chairs were used in train restaurants. Aren't the aqua and salmon stripes pretty?"

Christina looked confused. "How can a train have a restaurant?"

"The trains you normally see are freight trains, Honey. The passenger trains have places to sleep and eat. It's for people who are travelling across the country. Instead of a car, they ride the train, but people don't travel by train as much as they used to. People mostly ride in airplanes now."

"Oh." Christina reached out to touch the same chair her mother had just touched. "How come?"

Garrett laughed. "It takes a lot less time to ride in an airplane."

They walked to the next room to be greeted by a Star Wars display. "Cool!" Christina was delighted. Toys, books, comic books, posters, and full-sized costumes filled the room. Someone in a Storm Trooper costume walked up to Christina and shook her hand. Her eyes grew big. "Are you a veteran?"

He shook his head, remaining silent in costume.

"Storm Troopers are pretend, Honey. Veterans are real."

"Oh." Her eyes stayed on the Storm Trooper as they left the room. "Mommy, he didn't look pretend."

Garrett laughed again. "Well, he was real underneath the costume. He was just dressed up like you do at Halloween."

"I didn't know grown ups could do that."

"They like to have fun, too, Sweetie."

Christina looked at her mother. "How come you don't have fun?"

Cathee stifled a desire to roll her eyes. "I always have fun when I'm with you."

Christina's brows furrowed. "You haven't been having fun this week."

Cathee sighed. "It's been a hard week, Sweetie. A lot of stuff is happening, but I'll try hard to be happy the rest of the week. Does that sound good?"

Christina nodded, and they rode the elevator down in silence. As they approached the model train display, Christina ran ahead to the children's room. Garrett leaned against the wall while Cathee and Christina sat down to make crayon rubbing pictures. After they had finished with the four train pictures, all three of them signed the guest book and walked back out through the iron bar doors.

Christina skipped to the car, back to her normal exuberant self.

"What's after lunch?" Garrett asked.

"I wanted to see the museum of Kansas History."

"Hmm. Okay."

"What's wrong with that?"

"I was just wondering if Christina was getting her fill of old places. Maybe she'd like to do something...I don't know...more active?"

"Like what?" Cathee's eyes were fiery.

"Calm down. Calm down. I didn't mean to offend you. I was just thinking we could try out the water park this week."

Her eyes narrowed. "I thought you said you didn't bring a suit."

"I didn't, but I can always buy one."

She sighed. "I guess I'm too ready to take offense. I'm sorry. Let's do the museum and then see how we feel."

"Sounds fair." He was quiet a moment, then asked, "Does a sandwich shop sound ok for lunch?"

"It's your turn to pick." Cathee answered.

"How does Schlotsky's Deli sound?"

"I've never been there."

"They have a variety of sandwiches, salads, and personal-sized pizzas. I think you'll like it. There's a kid's menu, too."

"Are there Apple Dippers?" Christina blurted out.

Garrett tried to keep his face straight. "I don't think so, but you can pick your sandwich, drink and chips. We can get Apple Dippers another time, ok?"

"Okay."

A few minutes later, they pulled up to a sandwich shop not far from the State Capitol. A large black board with white lettering listed the available sandwiches, soups, salads, and pizzas. Cathee's brow furrowed. "There're so many choices. What do you recommend?"

"I think you should try the pastrami on rye with Swiss cheese."

"I've never liked rye..." Cathee protested.

"Be adventurous. The combination of flavors is really good. If you never come again, you need to have tried it once."

"Okay." She hesitantly agreed.

Christina ordered a turkey sandwich on sourdough bread. Garrett chose the Albuquerque turkey on whole wheat.

After they ordered, Garrett lifted Christina and set her on one of the bar stools.

"This is like your room, huh?"

He nodded. "You're a good noticer, Christina."

Cathee sat next to Christina while Garrett picked up their order. She wrinkled her nose at the black bread, but then bravely took a bite. She looked up at Garrett in surprise. "This is really good."

He grinned. "Told you."

When they finished eating, Cathee gathered the remains of their meal and tossed them in the trash. "Ready for a boring afternoon at the museum?" She teased Garrett.

He sighed. "Ready as I'll ever be." Obviously, he wasn't too enthused about the prospect.

As they wound around the road to the museum, Garrett's eyes widened. "Wow. I didn't realize it would be such a modern building."

Cathee giggled. "Not all museums are musty old places."

"I'm impressed." He parked near a wooden gazebo not too far from a picnic table.

"After we look through the museum, I wanted to walk around the nature trails." She looked up at the sky. "The clouds are keeping it cooler today. I wouldn't have wanted to walk the trails in yesterday's heat."

Garrett laughed. "I guess this isn't quite as ...inactive...as I anticipated it would be."

"Didn't I tell you about the nature trails on Saturday?"

He nodded. "You did, but you listed so many activities, they kind of blurred together."

She giggled. "I did have quite the itinerary for the week, didn't I?" She dropped her gaze and sighed. "We just had some interruptions I hadn't anticipated."

He lightly touched her cheek then dropped his hand. "No one could have seen this coming." As they approached the entrance, they stopped at an old stone building.

"What's that, Mommy?"

Cathee quickly read the informational plate in front of the building. "It was an Indian school a long time ago. It housed children so they could go to school. They worked on the farm to pay their way."

Christina looked confused. "Why would a kid need to pay for school?"

"It was a boarding school like...um..." she tried to think of something familiar to her daughter, "Hogwarts in Harry Potter. I guess the taxes didn't support these schools."

"What are taxes?"

Cathee sighed, and Garrett took over. "It's money everyone pays when they buy stuff or just when they work. The money pays for roads and schools and buildings like the ones we visited yesterday."

"Oh. Like...tithing?"

Cathee nodded. "Sort of, but you can choose to pay tithing or not. Taxes are something you can't choose."

"Oh."

They walked into the air-conditioned building and spent the next hour going through the exhibits.

As they came out of the building, Garrett commented, "Thanks for suggesting this. I honestly didn't think I'd enjoy a museum, but this was fun."

Cathee teased him, "Are you sure it wasn't the company?"

He grinned. "That _could_ have something to do with it." He looked at the map they'd picked up inside. "Which trail did you want to take?"

"I don't care. They both go around the pond."

He directed them to the nearest path. The path lead through tall grass.

"How come the grass is so tall?" Christina asked.

"This grass grows naturally here, Honey." Cathee answered. "It's the kind of grass the buffalo used to eat."

"The buffalo that Indians ate?"

"Yes, those are the ones."

Christina's voice grew animated. "I remember. We learned about Buffaloes during 'B' week." She paused and glanced up at Garrett. "I guess they needed to eat tall grass to get so big."

Garrett struggled to hide his amusement. "Apparently." He paused and smiled down at Christina. "Sounds like you have a fun school."

Christina nodded enthusiastically, then turned her attention back to the trail.

As they approached the pond, Christina pointed with excitement. "Look at the birds, Mommy. The little ones all go in a line."

"They're following their mother. Those are ducks."

"Can we feed them?"

Cathee shook her head. "They probably eat special food, Honey. I don't think we have anything they should eat."

"Okay."

A few droplets were starting to fall. They hurried back to the car. "So much for having a picnic." Garrett grumbled. They hastily climbed into the car. "What next?"

"I wasn't planning on rain. Shall we go back to the hotel?"

Garrett watched the rivulets of water run down the windshield. "I don't want to try the swim park in this weather, but we can always play Marco Polo at the hotel."

Christina clapped her hands with delight. "Can we, Mommy?"

Cathee stared at Garrett a moment. _I guess I can handle being with him in a pool. He's not Juan. It will be okay._ "What about your suit?"

"I'll just pick one up on the way back. The mall is close."

"That's true."

They were at the mall in a few minutes, the rain still beating on the car. Garrett turned off the ignition. "Do you two mind waiting? I shouldn't be long, and this doesn't look fun to walk through."

"We'll be fine. Hurry back." Cathee stared worriedly at the gray sky. It wasn't dark enough for a tornado, but June was tornado season, so it was always a possibility.

# Chapter 13, Dance

It didn't take long for Garrett to find a swimming suit. He didn't even bother to try it on. As he was hurrying back through the mall, he noticed a sporting goods store. He stopped and detoured inside. _The camping aisle should be over there. Pepper spray should be there_. Sure enough, the canisters hung on a peg. He picked up a green canister then traded it for a purple one. _Cathee might like this color better. It matches her wallet._ He quickly made his purchase then hurried back out into the pouring rain. Even though he had parked close, he was soaked to the skin when he entered the car.

"Oh. Man. You're sopping wet." Cathee reached back and grabbed the towel Garrett had draped over her the previous day. "Here, this might help."

"Thanks. I should have stopped to pick up an umbrella, but I didn't want to keep you waiting." _And there were other things on my mind_ , he admitted to himself. He rubbed his hair vigorously, then used the towel to soak up some of the moisture in his clothes. "I'll change when we get to the hotel."

"Can we go swimming when we get there?"

Garrett caught Christina's eyes in the rearview mirror. "Marco Polo, wasn't it?"

She smiled and nodded.

"We can swim before dinner, if it's okay with your mother."

Cathee agreed. "Since you need to change anyway, we might as well."

He reached over the seat to drop the bag with the swimming trunks behind his seat, then he handed the bag with the pepper spray in it to Cathee.

Her eyebrows went up in question. "What's this?"

"Pepper spray."

"Pepper spray? What do I need pepper spray for?"

Garrett's face looked grim. "I hope you won't ever need it, but I'd feel better if you carried some with you."

"Okay? So..." Cathee looked perplexed, "how do I use it?"

He pulled the canister out and showed her how to use it. "There's only one dose, so use it wisely."

"I really don't see how I'll ever need it." She grumbled but obediently stuffed the purple canister into her purse. _The only one I'd ever want to use it on would be Juan._ She suppressed a shudder and refused to dwell on the possibility. A flashback of his inhuman strength threatened to engulf her. She concentrated on the rivulets of water running down the window and took a steadying breath. She needed to stay focused–for her and for her daughter.

They were at the hotel in about ten minutes. Garrett pulled into the curved driveway so Cathee and Christina could avoid the rain. The covered drive was dry, even in the heavy downpour. After they stepped out of the car, he pulled out into the parking lot.

He turned off the ignition and stared at the sky a moment, hoping for a break in the weather. It didn't look promising. Resignedly, he picked up his package, grabbed the wet towel, and made a dash for the side door.

Cathee had worked her way over to the door closest to the parking lot. They were waiting when he burst through the door. Christina giggled. "You look funny."

Garrett grinned. "I'm sure I do. Let's go change."

They rode up in the glass-walled elevator, Cathee staring at the door.

"You really don't like heights, do you?" Garrett asked.

She shook her head. "My dad was the same way. I'd swear it was inherited, but Christina doesn't share my fear."

Christina and Cathee stepped off the elevator on the sixth floor. Garrett stepped off with them, and Cathee stared at him a moment. _It would be rude to tell him not to bother._ She suppressed a sigh and turned to her room. Christina had already skipped down the hall to their room.

"Sorry, Cathee." Garrett's voice was calm and reassuring. "My mother taught me to walk my dates to their door. She said it was a safety issue–like wearing a seatbelt. 'Don't ever leave a girl until she's safely inside.' It's been hard letting you go to your room alone."

"I...I guess I never saw it like that." She fumbled with her room key. "It makes perfect sense when you say it like that. I've just had...different... experiences with my dates."

Garrett looked down at her a moment. "How many dates have you actually been on?"

She dropped her gaze. "Before or after Juan?"

"Does it matter?"

She sighed. "I...I guess not." She finally got her key card in the slot and opened the door. As Christina skipped into the room and started to dig through the dresser to find her swimming suit, Cathee turned to Garrett. "I only dated a few times before Juan, and I haven't dated anyone except you since."

"Why not?"

She lowered her lashes. "I didn't feel like I could trust anyone after that." Anxiety darkened her eyes as she met Garrett's gaze. "You're the only one who ever tried to get past my barriers. Why did you even try?"

He stared into her eyes, uncertain how to answer. "I have to admit that it was on a dare." He could see hurt and anger fill her eyes. He hurried on. "But I wouldn't have accepted the dare had I not been interested in the first place. When we spent the morning together, I was impressed with what a wonderful, caring mother you are." He paused and cupped her face in his hand. "You are a beautiful woman with an immense amount of love to give. Don't you think it's time to think beyond Christina?"

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"I mean...don't you think it's time to think about an eternal companion?"

Her eyes held shock. _We've only known each other since Saturday. This is Tuesday. What's he thinking?_

He could see the shock on her face. "I don't mean me, Cathee. It doesn't have to be me, although honestly, I wouldn't mind if you started thinking that way." A half smile broke out on his face. "I just think you should start dating again. Christina needs a father. Most men aren't like Juan, you know."

The shock faded to be replaced by a lurking fear. "How can you ever know another person?" she blurted out.

He looked steadily down at her. "'By their fruits, ye shall know them.' Christ himself said that. You can find it in 3 Nephi 14:20."

"But what does it mean?"

"Watch what people do. See how they behave. Generally, happy, well-adjusted people who are active and caring don't have any deep, dark secrets." He paused and started to toy with one of her curls. "Usually, it takes time to get to know people, but we've been walking through fire the past three days. I probably know you better than anyone else does."

A small smile formed on Cathee's face. "I'm sure you're right. I _am_ honestly grateful for everything you've done for me, but I'm still burned from my past. I'm not sure I'll ever be whole again."

"I can wait." Garrett assured her, then dropped the curl and headed back to the elevator.

She stared at his back until the elevator doors closed before she stepped into her room. She leaned back against the closed door and took a deep breath.

"Mommy? Are you okay?" Christina had asked that too many times the past few days.

She smiled for her daughter. "I'm fine, Sweetie. Let's get ready to go swimming. I'll dress in the bathroom. You can dress out here."

"Okay."

They were both ready when there was a soft knock at the door. Cathee checked the viewing hole before she opened the door to Garrett. "That was fast."

He grinned. "Doesn't take much to change into swim trunks. Shall we?"

His casual, relaxed attitude calmed Cathee. She hadn't known how she'd be with him after his announcement about eternal companions, but he acted as if nothing had happened.

They headed to the elevator and down to the pool. A red-headed man looked up as they entered the pool area. He was sitting next to a curvy blond just shy of being plump. She looked up from the infant she was holding and smiled. A small red-headed boy was splashing on the pool steps in front of them. He had inherited his mother's blue eyes.

Garrett greeted them with a friendly wave. "Hi, Darrin. I wasn't expecting your family."

"Benjamin has been begging to go swimming in the pool, so I told Sally she could come and visit today." His eyes shadowed over. "I wasn't expecting the weather to turn out so bad. I don't want her traveling in this storm."

"I don't blame you. If you want them to stay, you can request a crib for your room."

Darrin looked worried. "Jarod isn't sleeping through the night. Do you think his crying will bother the other guests?"

"I'm sure the rooms have some soundproofing. I haven't heard any of the other guests. Don't worry about it." Garrett turned to Cathee and Christina. "This is Cathee Laurenson and her daughter, Christina. We've been doing some sightseeing in Topeka."

"Sightseeing?" Darrin asked.

Garrett laughed. "You'd be surprised by what there is here. Believe me, I have been." He gestured to the group gathered on the pool steps. "Cathee, this is my friend Darrin and his family. Sally's a brave woman to come here with her two kids. Jarod is two months old."

Sally interrupted. "He just turned three months this week."

"Oh. Sorry."

She smiled. "No worries. Benjamin is three. How old is Christina?"

Cathee liked Sally's open, friendly face and casual attitude. She returned Sally's smile. "She's nearly five."

"Is she going to Kindergarten this year?"

"Yes. She turns five in July." Cathee was startled to see Garrett's face go white and wondered what was going on. She continued talking to Sally, but she was concerned about him. _What could be wrong?_ "She'll be attending Kindergarten this fall."

"Benjamin was born in June. I haven't decided whether to start him the year he turns five or wait a year. I've heard boys usually do better if you wait." She didn't seem to notice Garrett's strange coloring. Jarod started to fuss, and she turned her attention back to the infant.

Cathee stepped over to Garrett and touched his arm lightly. When he looked down at her, she whispered, "Are you alright?"

He put his hand over hers. "I'm fine. I was just thinking about...things."

She suppressed a shudder. There were far too many 'things' for him to be thinking about.

Christina pressed herself to them. "Can we play Marco Polo now?"

"Of course, Sweetie." Cathee turned to Sally. "It was nice meeting you."

"Thanks. I feel the same." Sally smiled and then turned to take care of Benjamin, who had stubbed his toe on the top step of the pool. "You'll be alright, Sugar. It won't hurt very long," she assured him.

Christina, Cathee, and Garrett moved away from the steps to play. They stayed in the shallow end so Christina wouldn't get over her head.

Benjamin was still wailing about his stubbed toe when Darrin decided it was time for his family to head to his room. He waved good-bye, addressing Garrett. "I'll call you tomorrow."

Garrett nodded, then said "Polo" after Christina said "Marco." He danced just out of her reach. Christina managed to tag Cathee. Garrett moved to deeper water when Cathee was 'it.' He wanted to challenge her, and she didn't seem to mind.

They played for another forty-five minutes before Cathee climbed out of the water, wringing out her wet hair. "I'm hungry. Where did you want to go for dinner?"

Garrett turned to stare at the river of water coursing down the pool's window. "I vote for staying here."

"Me, too," Christina chimed in.

"I can order room service and have it delivered to the suite."

Cathee hesitated a moment, then agreed. "That sounds fine. Christina and I will change. We can meet at your room in forty-five minutes."

"It takes you that long to dress?"

"I want to shower to get the chlorine out of my hair."

"Ahh. Makes sense." He looked at the clock on the wall. "I'll expect you at 6:00 then."

He dried off with one of the pool towels while Christina and Cathee did the same. They headed to the elevator. Cathee didn't protest when he followed her to her room. When he'd explained what his mother had taught him, she was more comfortable with him following her. She pulled the keycard out of the pocket of her black wrap. When they'd stepped inside, Garrett headed to the elevator without a backward glance. Apparently, he wasn't going to re-address the subject he'd brought up earlier. She was relieved.

"You can watch cartoons while I shower."

The TV was playing Flintstones when Cathee stepped into the shower. She spent extra time with her makeup and hair. It was almost twenty-five minutes later when she emerged from the bathroom. "It's all yours, Sweetie. Just make sure you wash your hair so the chlorine doesn't bleach it, and remember to hang your suit on the shower rod."

"Okay, Mommy."

When Christina jumped into the tub, Cathee hurriedly switched to a news station. She watched carefully, but there was no new news on Juan. She switched her cell phone on and did a Google search on him. Nothing new. She bit her lip. She knew she wouldn't be safe until he was behind bars again, but she didn't want to stress her daughter.

She would have to be careful how she handled things. It wouldn't do to be giving too much information. She didn't want her daughter to share the agonies of PTSD. One in the family was enough.

She switched off the TV, walked over to the window, then opened the curtains. Angry gray clouds filled the sky. _I hope we don't get hit with a tornado. I don't even know where the tornado shelter is._ She pressed her forehead against the cool glass and closed her eyes. _Martha pointed out the shelter at the Capitol. I hope I don't have to hunt one down here._ After a moment, she straightened up and walked over to the flowers at the desk. She bent down and breathed in the heady scent. A sigh escaped her lips. She wasn't sure what she wanted any more.

She wondered at the symbolism of the flowers he picked. There were a variety of flowers, and mixed among them were a dozen yellow roses whose edges were tipped with coral. She'd read somewhere that yellow meant friendship. Did Garrett know that, or did he just order a generic arrangement with the florist choosing the flowers? If he knew her at all, and she suspected he did, the yellow flowers of friendship would mean more to her than the deep red flowers of courtship.

She was caressing the coral edge of one of the yellow roses when Christina emerged from the tub. She looked up. "You're all ready. Awesome. We're going to be on time."

She grabbed her key cards and stuffed them in her purse, then headed out the door. She turned away from the elevator.

Christina looked confused. "Where are we going, Mommy?"

"We're taking the stairs, Sweetie. It's only one floor up." She'd had her fill of the glass-walled elevator. An enclosed stairwell seemed much safer.

The fire door to the stairs was as heavy as her room's door. It shut behind them with a thud when they were about halfway up the set of stairs. When they emerged from the stairwell, Cathee had to take a moment to orient herself. She'd only gone to Garrett's room from the elevator, and she had to look at the room numbers to find it again.

The door flew open at Cathee's light rap. He'd been waiting for them. He handed Cathee the room service menu as she stepped through the door. "I haven't ordered anything. I thought I'd let you choose."

Cathee perused the menu. "I'll have the oriental salad." She looked down at Christina. "Did you want chicken again, or do you want a pizza?"

"Can I have macaroni and cheese?"

"Of course, Sweetie." She placed the menu on the desk next to Garrett's computer. "Water for both of us."

Thirty minutes later, the knock at the door signaled the arrival of their dinner. "Put it on the counter, please." Garrett directed, then handed a bill to tip the deliverer as he was leaving.

"Cathee, could you bless the food, please?"

Obediently, Cathee offered a simple prayer, then quietly ate her dinner. Garrett didn't interrupt her thoughts, and Christina was unusually quiet. When they finished, Garrett gathered up their plates, scraped them, loaded and started the dishwasher, then wiped the granite countertop. "So, what would you like to watch?"

"Can we watch the same movie we watched last time?" Christina begged.

Garrett checked his watch. "We could. We have another thirty minutes to start the movie."

"We wouldn't be able to finish it, would we?" Cathee asked.

"The movie doesn't cut off at 7:15. If we started playing it then, we would be able to watch the entire movie, but we can't access it after that time."

"Oh. Okay. I didn't know how it works." Cathee was quiet a moment. "Do you mind if we watch something else?"

"Not at all." He picked up the remote and ran through the 'movies still in theatres' list. When Cathee didn't show any interest, he moved to the 'Hollywood hits' list.

"How does this one sound?" It was a romantic comedy he thought she might like.

Cathee shook her head. "That's a PG-13. I don't let Christina watch those."

"Oh. Yeah. Right. Sorry." He continued through the list and stopped at a PG-rated film. There weren't any G-rated films other than the one they'd already watched.

Cathee sighed. "That one's okay, but I guess I'd prefer Christina re-watch the other one."

"No problem." He retrieved the movie, re-wound it to the beginning and pressed 'play.' "I'll make us some popcorn."

Cathee nodded, then moved from the bar stool to the couch, pulling Christina to sit beside her. She wasn't giving Garrett a chance for a different seating arrangement.

Garrett stifled a sigh. Her wall was back up, and he didn't know how to break it down.

Christina fell asleep before the movie was over. When it ended, Garrett switched to the music channel. He stopped at the 80s section. He liked music from that era. He stood up to put away the empty strainer he'd used to serve popcorn and moved to the fridge. "Water?"

"No, thanks." Cathee whispered. She didn't want to wake her daughter. She moved out from under Christina. She needed to freshen up. When she emerged from the bathroom, Foreigner's "Waiting for a Girl Like You" was just starting to play.

Garrett's strong arm pulled Cathee close. Her quick intake of breath made him cautious. He'd seen her melt down, and he didn't want to destroy the moment.

As they swayed to the music, Garrett's lips found hers in a gentle touch. It was the lightest touch. Like butterfly wings on a flower. The gentleness melted her wounded heart.

His touch was a soft summer rain on the dry earth. She could feel her shattered heart heal under his lips. As his sweetly tender kisses worked their way down her neck to explore the soft hollow of her throat, salty tears found their way down her cheeks. When his lips moved back to gently explore her lips again, she was surprised to taste the salt of his tears. Garrett's own tears mixed with hers.

He could feel his wounded heart becoming whole again. The emptiness he had carried with him since Jill's death was filling up. He had spent five years waiting for his heart to mend, and it had taken Cathee in her pain to help him heal his.

In the midst of this tender moment, Cathee suddenly pulled back and glanced at the empty couch. "Christina. Where is she? She was right there." She didn't know how she hadn't heard Christina wake. Their kiss had just happened. It had been such an overwhelming moment. She was ashamed to think that she had been totally incoherent.

She raced to the door and found the inside lock unset.

Garrett was right behind her. "I'll check the hall."

"I'll search the room." While Garrett raced down the hall, Cathee searched the suite. Around the bed. Behind the furniture. Finally, she found her quietly crying daughter curled up in the closet. She swept her into her arms and hugged her tightly. "Christina, what's wrong?"

Her bottom lip quivered. "I don't like you touching Garrett like that."

"Like what?"

"Like when your lips touch. It makes you cry."

Cathee half laughed and half cried. "Sweetheart, that was a happy cry."

Christina turned up her puzzled face. "What's a happy cry?"

Cathee hugged her again. "It's when you're so full of happy that the happiness has to leak out of your eyes."

She still looked puzzled, but the hurt in her eyes was gone. She thought a moment, then asked, "So when your lips touch it makes you so happy the happiness leaks out?"

Cathee put Christina on her feet and patted her head. "Only with someone special, and only sometimes."

She bit her lip, still tasting the salt of Garrett's tears. _What am I doing? How can I do this to my daughter? I'm not ready for a commitment. I can't accept Garrett. I can't._ A different thought whispered, _Why not?_ but she didn't want to hear it. She gathered up her daughter and moved to the door. Garrett burst through, worry on his face, then a flood of relief.

He gently smoothed the hair from Christina's brow. "You found her." His voice was tender.

Tears glistened in Cathee's eyes. "Yes. I did, and we're going to our room now."

"Cathee..." It was an anguished cry, but he could see the steel in her eyes. Resignedly, he said, "Let me at least carry Christina for you."

"I've been doing this for four years, Garrett. I think I can handle it." She paused and looked up into his pain-filled eyes. "I'm a mother, Garrett. I need to consider the needs of my daughter."

He gripped the edge of the door as she walked to the elevator, and whispered. "You're running, Cathee. It's time to quit running."

She pretended not to hear and loaded into the elevator without a backward glance. She stared unseeingly at the glass walls, remembering the tender kiss and wondering why she was running. She hadn't felt at that moment like a second love. She'd felt like he absolutely loved her for herself, but she wasn't ready to tear down the wall she'd built around herself. It was that moment of forgetting she was a mother that had scared her. She'd never been a lover and a mother both, and she didn't know how to function that way.

Christina was still groggy from sleep. When Cathee put her down so she could open the door, she rubbed her eyes. "Where's Mr. Garrett?"

"He's in his room, Sweetie. We need to go to bed."

"I'm tired."

"I know you are." She picked her daughter back up as she pushed the door open, then moved to put her in bed. The door shut behind them with a thud. She quickly changed Christina into her pajamas, then changed into her own and climbed into bed. The heady smell of roses permeated the room. She rolled over into her pillow. For the second night in a row, she cried herself to sleep.

* * *

Garrett continued to grip the doorjamb as he watched Cathee and Christina disappear. He had to hold on tight to keep from chasing after her. He knew he needed to let her go. If he chased her, she'd stick him in the same category as Juan. He needed to let her come to him, but hope that she would let him in had run out. That night with Jill had been a nightmare, but it was different. He had the sweet reassurance that she would always be his. With Cathee walking away, he felt like his whole world was crumbling. He was losing the woman he loved and the little girl he'd come to think of as his own. He wasn't ever going to get them back.

He closed his eyes and fought back the tears, then turned back to his room and let the door slam shut behind him. He knelt to pray in anguished prayer, but the answer he wanted wasn't there.

After his tears had run out, he stood up and walked over to his computer bag. He wasn't going to give up. He pulled out his business card, turned it over and scribbled his home phone number on the back.

Call me. G

was all he could bring himself to write.

He rode the elevator down to the sixth floor, walked down the silent hall, and slid his card under the door of room 608, then he walked back up to the elevator and went back to his room. As he entered and readied himself for bed, he felt peace fill his heart. He had done all he could do. The rest was in the Lord's hands. He fell asleep quickly. His sleep was deep and dreamless.

# Chapter 14, Real Life

Cathee's eyes were swollen and shadowed when she looked in the bathroom mirror the next morning. Christina was still sleeping. She jumped into the shower, hoping the cool water would help reduce the swelling. As she stepped out of the shower, she could see that it hadn't helped much. She sighed. She wasn't planning on seeing anyone, anyway. She picked up the phone to call the front desk. "I'm checking out this morning."

"You were reserved for one more day."

"I won't be needing it. Could you send up the bill?"

"Of course."

She flew around the room packing while she waited for the bill to arrive. A few minutes later, the bill was slid under the door. When she moved to pick it up, she saw a small white card on the floor next to the bill. She picked it up along with the bill and stared at it a moment. It was Garrett's business card. She bit her trembling lip. _He loves me._ She closed her eyes, a tear trickling down her cheek. _I just can't do this._ She took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and slid the card into her purse, then looked over the bill. Since she wasn't protesting any of the charges, she could leave without seeing anyone at the front desk.

After she was packed, she gently shook Christina. "Sweetie, it's time to get up."

Christina sat up and rubbed her eyes. "Where are we going?"

"Our vacation is over. We're going home."

"I thought we had one more day?"

"I have some things to do, Sweetie. It's time to go home."

"Okay." Christina stretched, then dressed herself in the clothes Cathee had laid out for her.

Cathee took one more look around the room, then moved her bag to the hallway while Christina wheeled hers behind. "Are you bringing the flowers, Mommy?"

"They won't fit in the car." Cathee made an excuse for leaving them behind. She didn't want the reminder of their few days with Garrett.

They quickly loaded into the car. The sun hadn't been up long. It had just turned 7:00.

"I'm hungry."

"I'll go through a drive through, Honey. I just want to get home."

"Where's Mr. Garrett?"

"He won't be coming with us, Sweetie."

"Why not?"

"He lives somewhere else. He doesn't live with us."

Christina pushed out her bottom lip in a pout. "I want him to live with us."

Cathee had no answer. She remained silent, fresh tears coursing down her cheeks. _Am I being fair to Christina? She needs a dad._ Then the thought came, _She's been fine for four years. She'll be fine now._ She remembered how distraught Christina had been the night before. There were too many things going on just then. She couldn't think clearly.

She pulled into a drive through for breakfast, then headed toward Wichita. She was anxious to get home and forget about the past few days, but all the time she'd spent with Garrett kept running through her mind. The memory of the kiss came flooding back, and fresh tears started.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, Sweetie?" Cathee managed around the tissue she was using on her nose.

"You promised you'd have fun this week. Are those happy tears?"

Tears welled up again. She couldn't answer her daughter. Instead, she turned on the radio and listened to the news. Nothing about Juan. She wished they'd catch him. An almost overwhelming urge to turn around and run back into Garrett's arms took over, but she steeled herself and continued on the road back to Wichita. Christina remained silent the rest of the trip.

As they pulled into the driveway, Cathee hesitated before she stepped out of the car. She remembered Garrett's mother's advice about him walking his dates to the door and wished she could have him here. The house looked the same except for the pile of newspapers at the door. She'd forgotten to have them held. What if Juan had found her house?

"Stay here, Sweetie." Christina couldn't have unbuckled her seat, anyway.

"How come?"

"I just want to check something, okay?"

"Okay."

Cathee walked up to the front door and let herself into the house. Everything was quiet and seemed to be in order. She felt safe. Surely, if Juan was in the house, she wouldn't have felt this... peace. She walked through the house, checked the closets and the basement, then went back out to set Christina free.

"Can I play on the tramp, Mommy?"

"Go ahead. I'll unpack."

"Thanks." Christina raced through the house to the back yard.

After Cathee had unpacked and put a load of laundry in, she called the hospital. "I need a paternity test done. When can I come in?"

"You can come in at any time. You don't need an appointment."

"Thanks."

She pulled out a box of macaroni and cheese for their lunch and stared at the box a moment. She remembered Garrett's laughing admission to eating out of boxes. _Am I going to spend the rest of my life hearing his voice?_ She opened the box angrily and dumped the noodles into the boiling water. _Get over him, already._ Then she touched her lips, remembering his kiss. It had been nothing like the terror-filled time with Juan. Garrett had been unbelievably tender and sweet. Tears welled up again.

_Am I being fair to him? Maybe...maybe I should have given us some more time._ She paused and stared out the window where she could see Christina twirling on one of the two swings on the wooden swing set in the backyard. _It's too late. I've hurt him too much. How could I ever go back?_

She opened the back door and called to her daughter, "Time for lunch."

Christina hopped out of the swing and ran to the kitchen. Cathee reminded her, "You need to wash up."

She hurried over to the sink to wash, then sat at the table. "Please bless the food, Christina." Cathee surprised herself by wishing Garrett was there to make the request. She stifled a sigh. _Is this ever going to get better?_

After lunch, Cathee addressed Christina. "We need to go to the hospital to take a test."

"What kind of test?"

"They're just going to wipe a q-tip inside our mouths."

"How come?"

"The police want some information."

"Oh."

It didn't take them long to do the swabs. Cathee gave them the case number, then left a message for Alec Mills. "Hi. This is Cathee. I have a new phone number since Juan was tracking me with the old one." She gave Mr. Mills the number, then continued, "We just did the paternity test at the hospital in Wichita. They have the case number as a reference." She gave Alec the address and phone number of the hospital, then turned off her phone. Even with a new number and the AT&T clerk's assurance that the tracking was off, she was nervous about leaving it on after having been traced.

There had been no mention of Juan in the news, which meant he hadn't been caught yet.

When she was safely back home, she turned on her computer and Googled her own name. She couldn't see any information related to her address, and the number that came up was her old cell phone number. The items with her number had been public announcements for a couple of stake singles' activities. Since she was the ward singles' representative, she'd used her phone number. Thankfully, it had been the cell phone and not her landline.

She spent the afternoon reading through mail from the past few days and reading the newspapers that had been piled on the porch. She ripped out the announcement about Juan. It had the number to call in case there was any information on his location. Suddenly, she remembered they had Garrett's number but not hers. If anything happened on the case, there wouldn't be any way to contact her. She looked at her purse and thought about calling Garrett. _If anything happens, Mr. Mills will call_ , she assured herself. She didn't think about the fact that Mr. Mills didn't have access to the same information Garrett did. The people from 1-800-GET-JUAN had Garrett as a contact, not Alec.

* * *

Garrett rolled over and stretched, then doubled over in emotional pain. _They are gone._ It felt like a physical blow to the gut. _I can't do this._ A small voice inside reassured him. _Yes, you can. I am with you._ Strengthened by the sure knowledge that Christ's Atonement meant he, in a very real way, was not alone, he rose and dressed for the day. He rode the elevator down to the main floor and headed into the restaurant for a lonely breakfast. When he walked in, Darrin and his family were just sitting down. Garrett joined them.

Darrin raised an eyebrow. "No company?"

"No." Garrett didn't elaborate.

Darrin and Sally didn't pry. The weather was a safe topic. "At least the storm has passed." Darrin paused to study Garrett's face, then continued. "The hotel didn't have any problem delivering a couple of cribs. Sally is going to stay with me tonight and then we're going home in the morning." He paused again, uncertain as to what to say to his friend. "What classes were you going to attend today?"

Garrett pushed away from the table, realizing he wasn't hungry, after all. "I'm not staying. I'm going to check out."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to spend a few days in Omaha."

"What's in Omaha?"

"I need to spend some time in the temple."

"I see." Darrin's brow puckered in concern. "Keep in touch."

Garrett offered a wry smile. "I always do." He left as the waitress approached to take their order.

He chose to fast on his drive to Omaha. While he drove, he prayed. He prayed for strength to let Cathee go, but mostly he prayed for the safety of the ones he loved.

When he reached the Nebraska border, he picked up the call he had been dreading. "The car has been found. It was in Kansas City. An SUV a block away was stolen. It's black. With a lot of trunk space."

Garrett's heart dropped to the floor. His voice strained to the breaking point, he managed to answer, "Thanks for the information. Please keep me posted." As he shut the phone, he prayed harder than he had at any time in his life. Cathee's safety was at stake.

He had no way to contact her. The only power he had was prayer. And fasting. He didn't eat.

* * *

Cathee managed to re-direct her thoughts anytime Garrett intruded into them, which was less and less as the weekend passed. Monday brought real life into focus, finding Cathee busily engaged in a new audit. Christina was back to her preschool, and everything was back to the same old familiar routine.

Shortly after 10:00 Wednesday morning, Cathee looked up from the report she was reviewing to look at her ringing cell phone. It was the preschool. She furrowed her brow. They never called. She picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Is this Cathee Laurenson?"

"It is. How can I help you?"

"A Hispanic man in a black SUV showed up. He's at the front desk demanding to see Christina. He says he's her father."

Cathee sunk back into her chair, stunned. She needed to take action. "Call the police. Don't let him have her. Juan Ortiz is a dangerous man. He could be armed. Please be careful." She didn't wait for a response as she tucked her cell phone into her purse.

She ran out the door then jumped into her car. The tires squealed as she turned out of the parking lot. It normally took twenty minutes to get to Christina's preschool. She made it in ten. She jumped out of the car and ran into the building, frantically searching for her daughter.

"Where is she?"

"Christina is safe. The man left. He must've heard us talking about the police."

Cathee was white with fear, shaking from head to foot. "I want to take Christina home. Can you bring her to me?"

"Certainly."

One of the desk clerks left to retrieve her daughter. Cathee addressed the other one. "Since Juan knows this is Christina's preschool, I'm going to have to pull her out." Tears were streaming down her face. Tears of terror and sorrow. Terror because of Juan and sorrow that her daughter would have to leave this place she loved. "Can...can you rec-com-mend another preschool?" She managed to get out around her sobs.

"Of course. Here is a list of other places in Wichita." She looked sympathetic. "Good luck."

Christina ran up to Cathee, and she hugged her fiercely. "Oh, Honey, I'm so glad you're safe. Let's go home, okay?"

"Okay, Mommy." She stepped back to examine her mother's face. "What's wrong?"

"Don't worry about it, Christina. Everything will work out."

Christina held Cathee's hand tightly as they walked out to the car. A police cruiser was just pulling into the parking lot. Cathee hurriedly walked over to the officer. "Can I talk to you about what happened?"

He stared at the front door a moment, then nodded and followed Cathee to her car. She turned on the ignition, then turned on the air conditioning and the radio. "Wait here a minute, Honey," she addressed Christina while buckling her into her booster seat.

Christina's eyes were big with fear. Her voice sounded small and scared. "Okay, Mommy."

Cathee turned to the officer after she carefully shut the door, checking to make sure the doors weren't locked. "I didn't want my daughter to hear." Cathee took a steadying breath. "Her birth father is Juan Ortiz, the prison escapee from New York. He has threatened to kill me."

The officer pulled out a notebook and started to scribble notes. He looked up expectantly.

"Juan showed up at the school to get Christina. I don't know how he found it."

"Do you have a Facebook account?"

She nodded.

"Most people don't know how easy it is to access information. Did you post anything on your account about your daughter's preschool?"

Horrified, Cathee's eyes went wide. "I...I just posted a picture a couple of weeks ago."

"I'd recommend you change your settings to only allow friends to see your information."

"I...I had no idea. Thanks, Officer." She was white, her hands clenched into tight fists. "What do I do now?"

"What's your address?"

"Here. Let me give it to you." She was terrified to say something aloud for fear Juan was still close and listening. She pulled out a check and ripped out the corner with her address.

"I'll alert the office. We'll have extra patrols run around your house until Mr. Ortiz is in custody."

Cathee took another deep breath. She wondered if the extra patrols would make any kind of a difference. "Thanks, Officer. I appreciate your help."

"No problem." He shut the book and headed up the sidewalk to the preschool.

Cathee climbed into her car and headed to work. She needed to talk to her supervisor.

She walked into her office, Christina's hand held firmly in hers. "Christina, sit here, please." Christina settled into a cushioned chair in the front office while Cathee walked to the back to find her supervisor.

"Josh?" a graying man looked up from his computer.

"Yes?"

"Can we talk a minute?"

He sat back. "Of course. Come on in."

She moved shakily to the cushioned chair in front of his desk, sitting carefully on the edge of the seat. "I'm having some issues with my daughter's father."

"Oh."

Cathee looked down at her hands fiddling with the straps of her purse, then looked up. "He is Juan Ortiz, the man who escaped from New York."

Shock filled his face. "What?"

"He's trying to kill me. He found my daughter's preschool today. I need to go into hiding until he is found. Can I take some time off?"

"You have some sick leave available, don't you?"

"Yes."

"We'll put it down as sick leave. How long do you think you'll need?"

"I...I don't know. If this is ongoing, is there any way I can get an emergency transfer?"

He looked thoughtful. "I don't know how we could do that, but there are always positions open in Washington, DC, California and in Dallas. When you have time to open your computer, you can apply for any of those branches. I'm sure they'll accept you in a heartbeat."

A heartbeat. A life. It was all she had.

She took a deep breath. "Thanks. I'll be in touch."

He stood up to shake her hand. "I hope everything works out for you."

"Me, too."

"Please keep us informed."

"I'll do my best. Watch the news. If he gets caught, I'll be back immediately."

She stood up shakily and left the office, wondering if she would ever be back.

# Chapter 15, Into the Tornado

When Cathee drove up her street, she was pleased to see a cruiser moving past her house. The police were fulfilling their promise. She hoped their presence would keep Juan at bay. It was a hope coupled with prayer. Somehow, she knew Garrett was somewhere praying for her safety, too. That thought brought tears to her eyes. She wondered if he hated her for what she'd done. He was right. She was running. She was running from a commitment she didn't think she could make.

The morning sun was quickly being hidden by a great, gray bank of clouds. Cathee's brow furrowed. Looked like a storm was brewing. A big one. She smiled ruefully. Just like the one in her own life.

"How come I had to leave, Mommy?"

"I had some things to take care of at home, and I like you with me when I'm not at work."

"Can I play on the trampoline?"

Cathee's answer was sharper than she'd intended. She didn't want her daughter outside with Juan in Wichita. "No!" She softened her voice. "A storm is coming, Sweetie. Let's find something to do inside, shall we?"

"Okay."

Cathee pulled out some play dough and cookie cutters. That usually kept Christina occupied.

She moved to her desk and opened her laptop. She checked Juan Ortiz again, even though she was dead certain he hadn't been caught. Nothing. No surprise.

She clicked on her Facebook account, got into the privacy setting screen and clicked on 'friends only.' Too little, too late, but it was all she could do. She ran through her albums, trying to see what Juan had seen. A picture of Christina in front of a clearly-labeled picture of Rainbow Bright Preschool along with the address on the side of the building was posted on her last album cover. She groaned. She had been so stupid. How could she have handed her daughter to him like that?

Quickly, she scanned through her other pictures. There was one of them together taken by a friend right in front of her own house. Part of the house number was obscured, and she couldn't see any sign of her street's name. Wichita was nearly three times the size of Topeka. Hopefully, Juan wouldn't find her. She shuddered. What more could she do?

She picked up the phone and dialed a number she hadn't called since she'd moved to Utah. It was her Uncle Joe's house. No answer. She didn't have a key. She didn't think she could show up, unannounced. What if they were out of state visiting one of their kids? The radio was announcing a Tornado Watch. She didn't want to be stuck outside if one hit. She shuddered. She didn't even want to drive if one was in the area.

She stepped to the window and stared outside at the angry clouds. Rain was beginning to fall. She watched as another cruiser drove by. She prayed.

"Mommy, I'm hungry."

Cathee jumped. She'd been lost in her own world. "I'm sorry, Honey. What would you like to eat?"

"Can we have applesauce?"

"Of course, Sweetie. Let's have a peanut butter sandwich to go with it."

"Okay."

"Put your play dough away and wash up, please."

Christina obediently put the play dough back in its case and carried the cookie cutters to the sink, where she washed her hands.

Cathee busied herself with the sandwiches, trying hard not to think about Juan. Her skin crawled. She wondered how close he was.

_I should have gone home with Garrett. He would have kept us safe._ Tears blurred her vision. _It's too late now. He'll never want to see me again._

She jumped when Christina slid her chair across the floor, ready to eat. Christina giggled. "Did I scare you?"

Cathee tried to hide her terror behind a smile. "You sure did. I'll bless the food today." She prayed and asked a special blessing of safety and protection.

After Christina said "Amen," she asked, "How come you keep asking about our safety?"

Cathee stared at the wall a moment, wondering how to answer. "There's a storm coming, Sweetie. I just want both of us to be safe."

"We'll be okay, Mommy. We have a basement."

Cathee reached over to hug her daughter. "You're right, Sweetie. We'll be okay."

The afternoon dragged with Cathee's frequent trips to look out the window. Many of those trips saw a cruiser drive by. She didn't mention them to her daughter. She didn't want to alarm her.

By late afternoon, the rain was coming down too hard to see across the street. Cathee closed the drapes and turned on the lights.

Christina was enthralled with a Disney movie Cathee had put into the DVD player.

They ate a quiet meal. Minute Rice Chicken Divan. It was easy to prepare, and Christina loved the broccoli. "They look like trees, Mommy."

"Yes, they do."

Christina pulled out a small gray square. "What's this?"

"It's a mushroom, Sweetie."

Christina's small pink tongue poked out for a taste. Her face screwed up in disgust. "How come it tastes like a sock? Is it poisonous?"

Cathee hid a smile and resisted the urge to tell her she heard it tasted more like a snail. "No. That's just how mushrooms taste, Honey." She paused as Christina continued to stare at the mushroom. "You don't have to eat it if you don't want to."

With a look of immense relief, Christina pushed the mushroom aside and finished her chicken and rice, occasionally stopping to push a mushroom piece aside.

After they finished dinner, Cathee stuck another movie in for Christina. She spent a few minutes in the kitchen rinsing dishes and filling the dishwasher. When the load had started, she moved to her computer. She spent the next couple of hours searching for any information on Juan Ortiz she could find. He'd been busy since their time together. He had a record in three states.

She walked over to the window again and peeked out. Another cruiser. At least the police were trying to do their job.

At 9:00 p.m., with the radio still announcing a Tornado Watch, Cathee pulled out a couple of sleeping bags and pillows. "Where are you going, Mommy?"

"We're camping out in the basement tonight, Honey. Do you have your suitcase?"

Christina ran to her room to grab the bag that was kept packed and under her bed. It doubled as Christina's 72 hour kit. They opened the bag. Cathee made sure there was a change of clothing, snacks, some paper and crayons, and a bottle of water. She double-checked her own bag. "We need to leave them in the car tonight."

Christina looked up at her mother, worry clear in her eyes. "How come?"

"There's a tornado watch, honey. We might have to leave in a hurry."

"What's a tornado watch?"

"It means there could be a tornado in the area." Cathee furrowed her brow in thought, wondering how to help Christina understand. "We are safe in the basement, but if a tornado damages the house, we might need to leave after the storm to stay somewhere until the house is repaired."

"Oh." Christina seemed relieved. "So we will be safe in the basement?"

"Yes, Sweetie, but it wouldn't hurt to say a prayer."

They knelt by the couch, and Christina offered a simple prayer for protection. After they stood up, Cathee said, "Let's carry the bags into the garage so I can put them in the car." As she was talking, she pulled the handles out of the bags. They both walked their bags to the garage. Cathee unlocked the back door and stowed the bags on the seat next to Christina's chair. She shut the door with more force than was necessary. She was struggling to control all the anger Juan's arrival had aroused.

Cathee moved to the counter under the kitchen sink and pulled out a flashlight. If a tornado hit, the electricity was sure to go out. "Come on, Sweetie, let's go downstairs."

They walked down the carpeted steps. Cathee opened the futon in front of an old TV set into a double bed. "Christina, put your bag on that side." Christina pulled open her sleeping bag and carefully laid it out while Cathee worked on her own. Christina tossed the pillows on top of the sleeping bags. They climbed into the bags and fell asleep to the sound of driving rain and the shaking of the house driven by a fierce wind.

The angry buzzing of the doorbell woke Cathee. She looked at the clock. 3:00 a.m. She raced up the stairs as the ringing bell switched to an angry pounding. Sensing that something was wrong, Cathee dropped to her knees and crawled to the back door. She reached up and made sure the deadbolt was securely locked, then moved back to the basement door. She pulled out her cell phone. It was dead. In all the stress of the past few days, she'd forgotten to charge it. Cold fear ran up her back. A charger was in the car, but she didn't dare go to the garage to get it.

Christina rushed up the stairs, crying.

"Hush. Hush, Sweetie." Cathee whispered, desperately hoping whoever was outside couldn't hear them.

"I was scared you left me." Christina's sobs were starting to subside.

"I know, Sweetie. I'm here. I won't leave you." She held Christina securely and whispered into her ear. "Remember when Garrett told you to be invisible?"

Christina nodded. Cathee continued. "You need to be invisible now. Someone bad is outside. You need to be invisible. Do you understand?"

She nodded again, terror showing in her eyes. The pounding had stopped, but the fierce wind continued to howl. Cathee jumped when the back door rattled. Whoever was outside had moved to the back yard. She knew it was Juan. He had found them.

Cathee reached for her purse hanging on the garage doorknob. She desperately sifted through papers, makeup, pens, and a comb. Finally her hand settled on a smooth canister. It was the pepper spray Garrett had bought for her. She hadn't wanted to believe she'd ever need it.

The window above the kitchen sink was shaking. To her horror, the lock didn't hold. As the man from her nightmares forced the window open and moved his head where the window should be, she met him with a blast of pepper spray. He bellowed in pain, his muscular hands covering his eyes.

She dropped the canister, reached for Christina's hand, grabbed her purse, and opened the door leading to the garage.

"Quickly. Quickly. Follow me." She hissed. They raced to the car and were backing out of the opening garage door as the enraged animal Juan charged through the door they had just run through. He had apparently dragged himself through the window.

Juan threw himself at the car in a rage, the indention of his angry fists left in the top of the car. The tires squealed as she backed out and flew down the street. "Buckle yourself up the best you can, Sweetie." Even in her terror, Cathee's concern was for her daughter. She floored the car without turning on the lights. Juan raced after them, but even he couldn't win a foot race with a car.

When she turned the corner, she flipped on the lights. A cruiser was just coming down the street. She didn't dare stop and explain. He flipped on his siren and lights as he was attempting to turn and follow her, but she was around the corner and away before he could catch her.

Sheeting rain hit the car. In a few moments, it had turned to hail, hitting the car like gunshots. Shaking and crying, Cathee reached for her purse and fumbled for her cell phone. The charger was already in the lighter. She slowed down a moment so she could plug her phone in. As she swerved around another corner, she prayed for their safety. It was a cry for help.

She guessed Juan wouldn't be far behind. The black SUV would be hard to see in the dark. Its engine was undoubtedly more powerful than the one in her sedan. She doubted the police officer would have noticed the SUV. He would've been more worried about her own speeding car. In this storm, he hadn't bothered to chase her.

She needed a stranger. Juan knew where she worked, where she lived, her home phone, her daughter's day care. Everything. She needed a place she could feel safe but she had no previous connections to. Suddenly, she remembered Garrett's card. She reached for her purse with one hand and fumbled through her purse to grab it. Her fingers found the soothing shape of his card. She'd put it in a side pocket. She flipped on the inside light briefly to see the number. There were three: office, cell, and, scribbled on the back, a handwritten one, his home.

Cathee handed the card to Christina, then said. "Read those numbers to me. The ones that are written. I need to call Garrett."

Cathee could see the relief on Christina's face. She trusted him, too. "Okay, Mommy."

While Christina slowly read the numbers, Cathee dialed on her cell phone, then turned off the light. She held her breath as the phone rang. Relief flooded her as his groggy voice answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Garrett." She couldn't hide the panic in her voice. "This is Cathee. Juan found us. Can we come stay with you tonight?"

He was instantly alert. "Of course. Can I meet you somewhere?"

"I'm in Wichita. The storm is so bad, I don't want to get out of the car. Just tell me how to get to your place."

"I own an old home on the corner of Santa Fe and Crawford."

"I think I know the one. Isn't it three stories with four porches?"

"Yes. That's the one. Are you going to be okay?"

"Just pray for us, Garrett."

"I've been praying all week, Cathee."

Tears coursed down her cheeks. She whispered, "I know you have." And then she shut her phone so she could concentrate on the road.

The radio announced. "A tornado has just hit the south side of Salina. Please stay in shelter until otherwise notified."

Cathee shuddered. She'd be driving straight into the heart of the storm, but she felt that was where she was meant to be.

As she swerved around corners heading for the interstate, she looked at her terrified daughter in the rearview mirror. "Christina, please say a prayer for safety. We need the Lord's help tonight."

Christina offered a simple prayer, and Cathee felt a calm she knew didn't belong to her. A momentary lightening of the sheeting rain helped her see the exit she needed. She knew where she was headed. Salina. Garrett was there.

The sheeting rain hid the road. She had to slow to a crawl. Her only hope of escaping Juan was knowing he was facing the same weather she was. The car fishtailed as she entered the freeway. She gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles white from fear. She'd never driven in this kind of weather, and the added fear of pursuit had her heart hammering in her chest. Highway 135 headed north to Salina. For a moment, she thought she saw a black SUV approaching fast, but the rain shut out the view.

Another sedan passed. She followed its red eyes as it travelled north–into the same storm she was heading into. The wind rocked her own car, and she clenched the steering wheel, her hands aching from the tight grip, but her fear wouldn't let her relax. She stayed steady behind the other car, hoping they could see the road her eyes couldn't make out. The wipers couldn't keep up with the rain. She could hardly see the tail lights in front of her.

It seemed an eternity before a sudden flash of lightening revealed a directional sign. "Only ten more miles to Salina." She encouraged herself. The car that had led her so far was still moving ahead of her. She knew she would've never been able to make the drive had the car not shown up to guide her.

It had been nearly three hours. The trip usually took an hour and a half, but she'd been forced to drive well below the speed limit.

Another flash of lightening revealed the Salina exit. The tires slipped on the drenched pavement and then held firm. The car she'd been following for so long disappeared in the storm, heading to some unknown destination.

She had to drive at a crawl to make out the street signs. She swerved around a downed tree on Crawford. The street was flooded in spots. She drove carefully. The house on the corner of Crawford and Santa Fe had every light on. She thought she could just make out a pacing form pass a window, a hand raking through his hair. Garrett. _He must be worried sick about us. He would have been safer in his basement._

She quickly hit the redial last number key as she pulled into the driveway. Garrett picked it up on the first ring. "Where are you?"

"I'm pulling in." She could see him drop the phone as he raced to the door. He ran out to greet them, ignoring the fiercely blowing wind and drenching downpour. He raced up to Cathee, grabbed her in a fierce hug that took her off her feet, then reached in to unbuckle Christina. "Do you have any bags?"

"Just those two and my purse." She pointed at them with her chin while she was picking up Christina. She hugged Christina to herself and ran bent over her daughter to try to protect her from the rain.

Garrett locked up the car and carried the bags in, racing to get out of the weather.

Cathee was shaking out her hair as Garrett walked in the door. She stopped and stared at the picture that dominated the parlor. Garrett and a dark-haired woman were standing in front of the Nauvoo Temple. Their wedding clothes bore mute testimony to the ordinance they'd already been through. She looked..."Just like Christina." Cathee whispered hoarsely.

Garrett moved to put his arm around her and stared up at the picture with her. "So I'm not the only one who sees it?"

"How can you miss it?" She turned to look at her daughter, who had climbed on a window bench and was staring out into the storm. "I'd be blind not to see the resemblance. This must be..."

# Chapter 16, Jill

"Jill. Yes, that's my wife."

"She's beautiful."

"So are you."

Cathee felt a blush steal over her cheeks. "But not like her."

Garrett turned her to him. "There are different kinds of beauty, Cathee. They can be appreciated in different ways. Different doesn't mean better."

She wound her arms around his solid frame. "I didn't understand. I think I do now." She looked up into his tender eyes. "You really do love me... us? Don't you?"

Unsure of whether she meant her and Jill or her and Christina, he realized it didn't matter. He truly did love them all–differently. "Yes. I do."

Suddenly, Cathee pulled back. "Juan found us."

Garrett's face went white. "That's what you said. I've been worried sick since you left Topeka. I spent the next three days doing sessions in the Winter Quarters Temple."

She reached up to stroke his cheek. "I'm so sorry I left. I couldn't piece myself together."

"You don't know how hard it was watching you leave." His chin quivered, and she could see some of the pain he'd been through. "It was harder than watching Jill die."

"I'm so sorry, Garrett." Her eyes were pleading. She paused a moment, trying to read his face, then continued quietly. "What happened to her? Do you want to talk about it?"

He led her to the couch next to the window Christina was looking out of and stared at the rivulets of water running down the window for a moment. "It was October 19."

Cathee let out a small gasp. He stopped and glanced at her, then went on. "We had just found out she was expecting. We'd planned the date for the baby's arrival. The baby was due in July." Cathee thought back to when he'd gone white at the pool and suddenly realized why Christina's birth month had affected him like that. He pressed his lips together to keep them from trembling. "She called me at work saying she was in a lot of pain and was bleeding. I raced home and took her to the hospital, but it was too late. She had lost too much blood by the time I got her there." He rested his head in his hands a moment, then lifted it to look at her. "It was a tubal pregnancy. My child had killed her."

"Oh, Garrett. I'm so sorry." She apologized again then threw her arms around his neck. "I was so cruel. I didn't know."

She dropped her arms and stared at her hands a moment, then looked up at him. "I...I don't know how to say this, so I hope it comes out right." She paused, a pleading look in her eyes. "I don't know how or why, but I somehow feel we were meant to be together."

"I felt that the moment I first saw you, but why are you saying it?"

"Remember the story of Job?"

He nodded, curiosity lighting his eyes.

"Remember after all his trials, he was given double back?"

"I remember."

"He had several children who died and then he had the same number again."

"I remember that."

"Christina..." Her daughter looked up at the mention of her name, then turned her attention back to the storm. "was conceived on October 19."

They cried together then. They cried for their losses, but they also cried with joy. They knew their coming together had a divine hand. Like Job, they had endured their trials. Garrett touched her cheek lightly. "Truly, I am blessed." He paused, tenderness filling his eyes, "Cathee, will you marry me?"

They were interrupted by Garrett's phone. He picked it up on the second ring. "Hello?"

"Hello. Is this Garrett Andrews?"

"It is."

"I just wanted to let you know we found the SUV Juan Ortiz had stolen. It had missed a curve on the north I-135 entrance just off 13th Street. Juan was inside."

"Is he in custody?"

"He's dead."

Garrett shut his eyes, the sense of overwhelming relief almost more than he could bear. "Thanks. I appreciate the call."

As he hung up the phone, Cathee asked, "Juan?"

"He died. A one-vehicle roll-over accident near the north I-135 freeway entrance near 13th Street."

Horror filled her voice. "That was the entrance I took." She put her hand at the base of her throat. "I thought I saw him." She trembled. "He was so close!"

Garrett reached out tentatively to touch her arm. "I was so afraid for you. I fasted and prayed for your safety this week."

"I felt your prayers. Truly, I did."

He leaned over and kissed her softly. Sweet and tender like their first kiss. Cathee wrapped her arms around his neck and drank his kisses in. Christina walked over and pulled on Cathee's shirt. "Mommy. You're crying again."

She half laughed and half cried. "I know, Sweetie. I'm just happy." She looked up at Garrett. "He wants to be your daddy. Would you like that?" She knew she would never have to worry about how much Garrett loved her daughter. She looked just like the daughter who had never been born to him and Jill.

Christina clapped her hands with delight. "I get to have a daddy? That's way awesome."

Cathee stared at her in surprise. She'd never realized Christina had ever missed having a father.

She turned back to Garrett. "I'd be honored to be your wife."

"When did you want to get married?"

She stared up at the picture of him and Jill. "October 19."

His brows furrowed. "Why that date?"

"I want to replace my–our nightmare with a fairy tale."

He nodded. "We'll call my parents later today."

A peal of thunder shook the house. The wind roared around it. The house had withstood a hundred summers of tornado weather. She had no doubt it could survive another.

"Let's get downstairs where it's safe." They gathered up their bags and moved down into the basement where Garrett had a futon made up for them. His bedding was on a couch pushed against the wall.

It was after 6 a.m., and Christina was obviously exhausted. She climbed on the futon and was soon fast asleep.

Garrett and Cathee were too wound up for sleep. Garrett pushed the sleeping bag off the couch. They sat down together, watching the steady rise and fall of Christina's chest.

"Where did you want to get married?"

Cathee wound her arms around Garrett's neck and reached up to kiss his cheek. "I was thinking the Nauvoo Temple, if that's alright with you?" Her eyes were hesitant, searching his face for any sign of disapproval.

He leaned over and kissed the top of her head, then reached to caress her cheek. "Wherever you want, as long as it's the temple." He paused to move a stray curl off her face. "Why Nauvoo?"

"When I was young, Mom and Dad took me to Nauvoo. When we were in the visitors' center, Mom pulled me over to see the temple display. 'Cathee,' she said, 'My parents brought me to Nauvoo when the temple lot was just a grassy indentation where the temple used to stand. There was such a sad feeling there. A feeling of deep loss. I can't really explain how excited I was when President Hinckley announced the Nauvoo Temple was going to be rebuilt. When we came to attend the dedication, I rejoiced. The empty sadness of the place was no more. I'm not sure you can understand, but there is power in restoring what was lost.'"

Tears glistened in her eyes as she looked up to catch Garrett's gaze. "We have both had deep loss in our lives, Garrett, and I want the Nauvoo Temple restoration to symbolize our own lives." She paused a moment to stare at her sleeping daughter, then caught his eyes again. "It's time for joy to replace the sadness, and I can't think of a better place for our eternal marriage to begin."

His eyes danced. "My thoughts, exactly."

# Chapter 17, Nauvoo

They finally fell asleep–Garrett on his couch and Cathee curled up with Christina. The storm had passed sometime in the morning after they'd drifted off. The grass was wet but the birds were happily singing when they moved upstairs to share a brunch. It was too late to call it breakfast.

"It feels so nice not to be worrying about Juan."

Garrett wrapped Cathee in his arms to give her a hug, then stepped back. "You don't have to tell me that." He sent her a lopsided grin then continued stirring the eggs. "I hope you like your eggs scrambled."

"That's fine." Cathee was searching through his cupboards so she could set the table. She found what she was looking for and set the table for three. Garrett settled the plate of scrambled eggs and another of bacon on the wooden table. The table fit the huge kitchen nicely. It was a table meant for a large family.

After a blessing on the food, Garrett announced, "I'm going to call my parents as soon as we finish eating."

"How do you think they'll react?"

He laughed. "They've been begging me to date for years. I think they'll be very happy." He bent over to kiss her head lightly. "I'm sure they'll love you and Christina."

Cathee's expression changed to one of worry. "I know this is kind of...awkward, but we don't know much about our families. We haven't had much time to talk."

He agreed. "We have had other things on our minds, haven't we?"

She nodded. "I was an only child, but my Uncle Joe and Aunt Elaine have six kids. They usually get together at Thanksgiving." She paused and a shadow of fear washed across her features. "I never introduced them to Christina. I'd like to spend Thanksgiving with them this year. Is that ok?"

He reached over to cup her chin in his hand. "Whatever you want, as long as you're happy."

He released her chin to dish up his food.

"What about you? Do you have any family I should know about?" Cathee asked.

Garrett nodded. "I'm the oldest. I have two sisters and a brother. Clara lives with her husband and three kids in Yakima, Washington. My youngest sister, Tina, is still attending BYU. She's dating someone pretty steady, so I think we'll be getting a wedding announcement soon. Tom is working on his doctorate in Chicago. He's married and has two children."

"Do you get together often?"

"We try to get together in the summer. It's too hard to travel in cold weather. We usually meet in Utah. There are a lot of places to camp and fish." He watched her face carefully. "No boating required."

She relaxed. It sounded like she didn't have to worry too much about fitting in with his family. Everything would be fine.

* * *

The call to her Uncle Joe and Aunt Elaine had been hard. Garrett made the call. "Hi. Is this Joe?" He watched Cathee's face carefully as he made the connection.

"I'm Garrett Andrews. I was wondering if I could take your niece, Cathee, to the temple along with her daughter, Christina."

Shocked silence had met his announcement. He handed the phone over to Cathee, whose Aunt Elaine had taken over the call. "Aunt Elaine? This is Cathee. I met a wonderful guy. Garrett is going to marry me in the Nauvoo Temple on October 19. We'd like you to come."

"I'll put it on our calendar. We're so happy for you, dear." Cathee could hear the tears in her aunt's voice. She should have called her years before.

* * *

The next few months flew by. Wedding preparations, even with the efficient help of her Aunt Elaine, had a way of condensing time. Cathee went back to work in Wichita but put in her notice for the end of September. There wasn't an office in Salina, and Wichita was too far of a drive. Besides, she had always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom for Christina. Cathee and Garrett had already talked about more children, and Cathee didn't anticipate they would wait long for the next one to arrive.

The temple ceremony was everything she had anticipated. When she stood at the mirrors staring at their multiplied reflection, she thought of Jill. Jill had a part in preparing Garrett for her, and she was eternally grateful.

After the wedding, they moved outside to take pictures.

Christina pointed up excitedly. "Look, Mommy, there's a hawk!"

Cathee watched the soaring bird a moment, remembering the day in June when Christina had pointed out the other hawk.

It had been nothing but a predator then. It meant something else now. She could see the beauty in its silent flight.

She looked up at the man who had been willing to work past the sorrow in her heart. She was looking forward to a lifetime to spread her wings, and she knew Garrett would be there to fly with her.

# About the Author

Roseanne E. Wilkins, the author of the popular Kansas Connections Series, grew up surrounded by the open wheat fields of Kansas. She majored in elementary education while attending BYU. After marrying Craig, they moved around the country for several years. Before they had children, she spent spare moments writing. She put her writing aside when her first son was born. That was 1991. In 2008, she was moved to write a fanfiction book, Noonday Sun. After finishing the fanfiction, she found several old manuscripts which she intends to finish–even if it takes another 20 years to do it. She loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at rewilkins9@msn.com or read more on her blog at www.RoseannesSpot.blogspot.com.

