Chapter 21
By the following week, Reva realized that as much as she’d wanted to play Wonder Woman, balancing numerous responsibilities amidst constant interruptions and emergencies had become unsustainable. Circumstances had rendered her powerless. She was ready to remove her imaginary indestructible bracelets and lay them down.
Upon reluctantly sharing her ongoing struggles with her girlfriends, the first suggestion they gave was to find a caregiver for Lucan. Accepting this advice did not come easily to her. Each day, she became more captivated by the little boy—his playful antics, his infectious smiles, and his overall cheerful demeanor. The transient nature of fostering weighed heavily on her; she knew it wouldn’t last indefinitely. Truth was, she didn’t want to miss even a single moment of the gift she’d been given.
Lila quickly reminded her this was how all working mothers felt. “When Aaron was killed, and it was only me…I simply couldn’t do it all. I soon realized it was okay to hire some help.”
“You should talk to the Knit Wits. I’m sure those ladies would be thrilled to help you out,” offered Charlie Grace. “Once, when Aunt Mo was on a trip and I came down with a stomach bug, those three stepped in and helped watch Jewel. They were a godsend.”
Armed with their suggestion, Reva invited Oma Griffith, Betty Dunning, and Dorothy Vaughn over the following day for an informal interview. She pulled a pecan pie, shipped directly from her family’s farm store in Georgia, from the freezer and popped it in the oven. She also made fresh whipped cream from scratch. Her friends often teased her about her limited culinary abilities. But she had YouTube, and she knew how to use it.
When the time finally came to transition from a pleasant dessert to the heart of the matter, Reva found herself wracked with a mix of apprehension and determination as she sat down, clipboard in hand.
Nearby, Lucan busied himself with the stack of colorful blocks on a blanket within Reva’s constant view. The trio of seasoned, sharp-witted seniors renowned for their knitting prowess and sage wisdom, settled into her plush sofas having finished their pie treat.
Reva fidgeted, trying to maintain a professional demeanor. “Thank you all for coming on such short notice. As you may have heard, I’ve been struggling to juggle my duties as mayor, attorney, and now mother. It’s imperative that Lucan has the best care possible while I don’t neglect any of my responsibilities to this town and to my clients.” She let out a sigh. “It’s a bit much.”
Oma Griffith nodded with a gentle smile. “We understand, dear. We’ve raised a few of our own, haven’t we, ladies?”
Betty Dunning chuckled. “Oh, a few might be an understatement, Oma.”
Dorothy Vaughn dabbed the corner of her mouth with a wadded napkin in her blue-veined hand. “Between us, we’ve probably seen it all. Don’t you worry, Reva.”
Reva took a deep breath. “Excellent. Now, onto my first question. How are you with crisis management? Say, if Lucan decides to start a small riot or attempts a daring escape?” Her attempt at humor seemed lame, even to her.
Betty laughed. “Darling, we’ve handled everything from scraped knees to teenage rebellions. A baby-sized riot sounds like a walk in the park.”
“And for escapes,” Oma said, her eyes filled with mirth. “Betty here used to be quite the sprinter in her day. Weren’t you, Betty?”
Betty gave a proud nod. “Still got the medals to prove it.”
Reva nodded, slightly reassured, then glanced down at her clipboard. “Right. Next, how familiar are you with the latest in child development theories? I’ve been reading about the importance of early cognitive stimulation.”
Dorothy tilted her head and glanced between her elderly cohorts. “Well, dear, we might not have all the fancy terms down, but we’ve been stimulating young minds since before it was a theory. Why, just last week, I taught my grandson algebra. He’s seven.” She leaned to Oma and whispered. “I had to study his textbook all night to pull that one off.” She chuckled.
Reva tapped her pen against the clipboard. “How are you with emergency procedures? I have a detailed plan in place in case of any unforeseen events, including, but not limited to, choking, falls, accidental poisoning, burns?—”
Before she could finish, Oma waved off her worry. “Betty here is a wizard with a first aid kit, and I’ve been known to concoct a mean herbal remedy.” She turned to the other ladies. “By the way, have you seen that woman on TikTok who warns that if you see a UFO in the sky?—”
Dorothy interrupted her well-meaning friend, “And if we find ourselves having to deal with any extraterrestrials, we’ll knit them a nice cozy blanket. No one can resist a good pearl stitch, not even aliens.”
They all laughed.
Reva finally cracked a smile, her tension easing. “Thank you, ladies. I get your point. I suppose my fears might be a tad…exaggerated.”
Oma reached across to pat Reva’s hand. “It’s all part of being a new mother, dear. We’ll take good care of Lucan. And we’ll even teach him to knit, won’t we, ladies? When he’s old enough to hold the needles without hurting himself.”
Betty and Dorothy nodded in unison. “Absolutely.”
When their meeting concluded and they’d made an agreement to move forward with the shared childcare arrangements, Reva showed the sweet Knit Wit group to the door. She hugged each one tightly and promised to be in touch, thanking them profusely. As she closed the door, she mentally made a list of her instructions, which would no doubt include a compilation of doctor and hospital numbers in case they encountered a medical emergency.
Then she noticed Lucan had helped himself to her purse and had dumped the contents on the floor. Panicked, she beelined over to pick up the items, some of which were dangerously sharp.
As she plucked the keys, receipts, and pens from the floor and nestled them back inside her bag, a tiny business card caught her eye.
Curious, she picked it up.
WARNER AUTO REPAIR—Kellen Warner
Reva scanned the phone number,brows knit together as she tried to recall…oh! The guy who saved her and Lucan from the bear. She’d promised to call him for coffee. Of course, with everything as hectic as it had been, she’d neglected to follow through.
An unbidden, yet rather evocative, image of Kellen on the trail that memorable day vividly materialized in Reva’s thoughts. She found herself effortlessly recalling the warmth of his smile, the joyful companionship of his dog by his side, and most notably, the striking physique that he possessed—the way his well-defined build was accentuated by the way his T-shirt clung to his muscular frame, a detail that now lingered prominently in her mind.
She should call him. Especially after he’d helped them on the road that day. Besides, she’d promised.
She fished her phone from where it had fallen between the cushions of her chair and started to dial.
Just as quickly, she clicked it off.
What was she thinking? She had no time as it was. How could she possibly get away for coffee right now?
She sighed and started to put her phone down.
But she’d told him she would call.
The promise nagged at her. She wasn’t one to go back on her word.
Taking a deep breath, she overturned her previous decision and called the number on the card. After three unanswered rings, she nearly disconnected, thinking he wasn’t there, but then a man’s voice answered, “Hello?”
Suddenly, she found herself at a loss for words. “Uh, hi... I’m not sure if you remember me, but my name is Reva Nygard. You once scared away a bear on Highway 26 for me.”
“Yes, I remember you,” he responded.
Reva’s heart raced. She berated herself for feeling as nervous as a teenager, then drew in a deep breath and gathered her composure. “I wanted to express my gratitude for driving away that bear and assisting with my car repairs. Would you be interested in grabbing coffee together?” She waited anxiously for his reply, torn between hoping he would decline and fearing he might accept.
“I’d be delighted,” he answered simply and warmly. “Just let me know the place and time.”
“Fantastic! How about you bring your dog, and I’ll bring my child?” Reva quickly suggested a cozy coffee shop in Jackson known for its exceptional homemade cinnamon rolls. He agreed to meet her there, and after confirming, they ended the call.
Clutching her phone to her heart, Reva walked back to where Lucan was joyfully drumming on the coffee table with his dimpled hands. Watching him, she couldn’t help but beam with happiness buoyed by the little boy’s delight…and hers at the thought of seeing Kellen again.