Chapter 11
ELEVEN
B ianca straightened the red bow tied around the store-bought package of cookies.
Cookies make everything better. Bring some with you. Forgiveness is way easier to swallow when it’s surrounded by sugar, Grace had said once Bianca told her the plan of visiting Scout.
Bianca had thrown her post-filming hair into a ponytail and grabbed her keys. Pretty sure that’s not how forgiveness works.
Yet, with the afternoon sun on her back and her shifting feet on Scout and Scarlette’s front porch, she hoped the cookies wouldn’t make things worse. Not like the time she’d sent her mother cookies for the first Mother’s Day she wasn’t home for.
Bianca knocked her knuckles against the doorframe. No footsteps pounded from behind the white front door with black shutters, a window on the right-hand side big enough for two kids to crawl through at the same time. The homey bungalow was exactly how Will had described Scout and Scarlette’s house on Oak Street when she’d managed to talk some sense into Eddie about her taking the rest of the team home after the broken finger accident.
Maybe they weren’t home. She glanced to the driveway, where Bianca had parked beside another car. That could be the neighbors instead of Scout and Scarlette’s family.
The sound of tires hitting the speed bump a few houses down made Bianca turn. It looked like the blue car that had followed her from the set. It slowed in front of the house, but the driver didn’t pull out his phone or camera.
She knocked again. Finally, the door creaked open.
A smiling woman with almost as many wrinkles as gray hairs, dressed in an apron, blinked up at her. “Sorry, sweetheart, but I don’t want to buy any cookies.”
She’d started to close the door when Bianca finally got out some words. “Is this Scout and Scarlette’s house?”
The grin slid from the woman’s face. “May I ask who wants to know?”
Thankfully, Scarlette’s curly locks poked around the door, and her eyes dropped to the cookies. She grabbed them quicker than she had stolen any base. “Total yum. These are?—”
“Scarlette Joy Smith.” The woman Bianca assumed to be the girl’s grandmother sank her fist onto her hip. Almost an identical pose to Scarlette’s last night. “You do not grab cookies from strangers.”
Scarlette rolled her eyes. “Grandma, that’s Coach B.”
Her grandma narrowed her eyes first at Scarlette, then at Bianca.
Bianca laced her empty hands in front of her. Perhaps cookies hadn’t been a good idea. Flip-flops might have also been a miscalculation if she needed to make a run for it. “I think I’ve made a mistake. Please tell Scout that I’m sorry for the slide accident and for his?—”
“Ah, you’re the pizza lady. You can call me Naomi or Grandma. Or both.” Naomi opened the door wider as she shot Scarlette a glare. “Well, young lady, you shouldn’t assume the cookies were for you. If they’re not, you’re going to find yourself embarrassed.”
A shudder ran down Bianca’s back, and she squeezed her fingers together. The last thing she’d meant was for the cookies to bring embarrassment. “They’re for both Scarlette and Scout. I only wanted to come by and check on him to see how he was doing.”
“Momma!” another woman’s voice called out from somewhere inside. “Where’s my black pants with the double buttons? I’m going to be late for work.”
“Hanging by the washer on the blue hanger,” Naomi hollered over her shoulder and stepped aside. Then to Bianca she said, “Come on back and see Scout for yourself.”
A slender woman wearing a robe dashed down the hall, carrying a pair of black pants. “Found ’em. Thanks, Momma.”
“I don’t want to intrude.” Bianca lifted her gaze off Scarlette, who had her bottom lip pushed out. “Looks like a bad time. If you will, please let Scout know that I stopped by and…”
Naomi opened the door wider. “Nonsense. It’s never a bad time for company. Plus, Scout needs rests from his screen. Between you and me, he’s milking this broken bone thing for all it’s worth.”
Bianca put her hand to her stomach. He’d for sure broken his pinkie. She’d prayed it was only a sprain.
Scarlette pulled out two cookies without even taking the bow off and stuffed one completely in her mouth. She mumbled something that sounded like, “Yeah, if I could play games all day, I might wish my pinkie was?—”
Naomi dropped her hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Don’t think we best wish for painful things. They come in life as it is.”
The entry wall opened into a quaint yet clean living room. A loveseat hugged the focal wall with framed family pictures. Two rocking chairs beside the window faced the television.
The rocker on the left tilted forward, and the top of Scout’s head moved into view. “Why is this level so hard?”
Naomi motioned for Bianca to go to Scout. “Perfect time to rest from the screen.”
“But Grandma, my pinkie…” Scout turned around. When his gaze landed on Bianca, his scowl vanished. “Hey, Coach B.”
Scarlette plodded around Bianca and shoved another cookie in her mouth. “She brought cookies.”
Scout hopped up and snagged the package. The bandage made his pinkie about three times its normal size. “These are the best.”
Bianca nodded at his hand. “How’s your finger?”
He scooped out two more cookies. “The doctor said I don’t need surgery, and I can go back to baseball in ’bout four weeks.”
Naomi tsked. “We’ll see about those four weeks. Don’t forget that little about word.”
Scout stopped the next cookie from entering his mouth. “But the tourney is in four weeks and three days.”
“A tourney isn’t more important than you being healthy.” This came from the younger woman, now dressed in black pants and a white-collared, button-down shirt. She had the same big brown eyes as both Scout and Scarlette. The woman was probably around Bianca’s age, but she only came up to Bianca’s chin.
The woman cocked her head to the side. “And you are?”
“Coach B, Momma,” Scarlette said at the same time the woman mumbled, “Bia Pearl.”
Naomi hummed. “Thought you looked familiar.”
Scout clutched another four cookies out of the package. “Mom, Coach B bought us pizza and the blow-up slide last night.”
An awkward laugh bubbled out of Bianca. She swallowed down what felt like dry, crumbled cookie pieces. “I’m so sorry about the slide and Scout’s pinkie.”
Scarlette sent Bianca a smirk. “Coach B is with Coach E.”
Their mom put both her fists on her hips. “She’s with Eddie?”
How was Bianca supposed to answer that without lying? “I mean, he’s not with me right now in your house…”
Scarlette rolled her eyes.
Apparently, that wasn’t the right response.
Their mother blinked at Bianca, just like their grandmother had only moments ago. This time, Naomi slapped her leg, and a cackle as booming as a diesel engine filled the room. “Oh, you must be with Eddie all right. He always liked a girl who could make him laugh.”
For some reason, that info didn’t lessen the tightness in Bianca’s stomach.
She curled her toes on her flip-flops. “Yes, well, I wanted to see if I could pay for Scout’s hospital bills since you never agreed for him to go down the slide.”
Their mother’s laughter stopped, and she adjusted the collar on her button-down shirt. “I don’t need charity. I can handle my family’s bills.” She pressed a peck on Naomi’s cheek. “I’ll be home late. Don’t wait up. I’ll bring home some leftovers from catering for tomorrow. Love you, kids. Behave.”
After a few pounding footsteps, the slamming of the front door rattled the windows in the living room.
Bianca tightened her grip on her wallet. Well, that hadn’t gone as planned.
Naomi smiled at Bianca. “Coffee?”
Bianca adjusted her purse strap. “I best be going. Thank you, though. Glad you’re feeling okay, Scout. I’ll see you later, kids.”
Would she still be welcome at their next practice?
Before Bianca could trace her steps back to the entryway, Naomi hooked her hand onto Bianca’s elbow. “My legs aren’t as young as they once were. Help me walk you to the door.”
Ten silent shuffles later, they arrived not only to the front door but to a framed painting on the wall, which she’d missed beside the door. A painting of a rocky beach shore during twilight. A boat floated in the waves, while a lighthouse stood bright and tall.
Then, along the bottom of the framed piece, was a quote.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Frances had sent her that verse the day Bianca had to testify. Wasn’t that what Bianca had tried to do with Scout’s mom? Provide a good deed in place of a bad one? Except it’d gone horribly.
Naomi straightened the frame that was already lined up horizontally. “Was a wedding gift from my momma. Wish I had more of her paintings. Her words of wisdom. Though these weren’t her words but God’s.”
Bianca backed up and bumped into a short bookcase. She caught a picture of Scout and Scarlette before it fell. “I’m sorry. I should have just left the cookies and money on the doorstep. I didn’t mean to make your daughter upset.”
She should have called Frances and asked for advice instead of listening to Grace. But then Frances would have asked if she’d been in the Word, and she hadn’t. For two straight days.
Naomi placed her hands on Bianca’s shoulders as if to straighten her posture. But instead, she lifted a sad smile. “My Jade has her own issues of the heart, I’m afraid. Her ex did a number on her worth, and sometimes accepting help is the first step in surrendering her worries, and sometimes it’s the last.”
Bianca placed her hand over the woman’s. “I understand about exes. Which you may or may not have heard about in the news. Please tell Jade I didn’t mean to offend. But also, if she changes her mind…”
She’d figure out a way to pay for it if it was before the completed contract timeline.
Naomi’s glance returned to the painting. “Sometimes our good works are overlooked. But they’re never about us anyway but the One who created all things. As long as we’re shining brightly for Him, that matters more.”
Bianca stared at the lighthouse. Why did people refuse gifts? Was it because of pride or something else? Or did she not have the right heart about giving this time?
The lighthouse’s beam shined along the jagged rocks as if announcing where the boat’s troubles rested ahead. Was she shining brightly enough for God? Could others in her life see Him through her? Once she’d announced in an interview that she followed Christ, the media had twisted her words. Said she was only trying to make her image better after she’d supposedly lied under oath.
Frances had reminded Bianca that she only had to fear the Lord, not man. However, some days it was hard to block out the world’s voices.
Naomi touched Bianca’s fingers. “An accidental broken pinkie isn’t the fault of the one who bought the gift to begin with. So you come back and check up on us anytime. I may not have the gift of painting like Momma did, but I’m not shy around a piece of pork steak.”
Naomi reminded her of an older Frances. “I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you for your kindness.” Bianca said goodbye and headed down the porch steps, but before she reached the sidewalk, a familiar black truck pulled up behind her car.
Eddie.
He shut his truck door harder than seemed necessary. Eddie, dressed in jeans and T-shirt, walked up the sidewalk. Purpose laced his expression, but his mouth remained in a tight line. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”
Bianca pulled her purse strap higher on her shoulder and walked down the steps. “Whatever you do, don’t ask to cover Scout’s medical bills.”
Eddie’s shoulders hunched. “Tell me you didn’t.”
Bianca shook her head. “I’m afraid Jade went to work in a bad mood because of my offer.”
“You and your deals.” He stopped right in front of her and clutched the keys in his fist. “How did you even find their house?”
Was he really that against her coming to see Scout?
Jade’s words came back to mind. She’s with Eddie?
Oh . “You and Jade dated?”
His face lurched into a frown. “What would make you think that?”
Bianca put her palm to her forehead. Maybe it was best if she stopped thinking altogether. “I don’t know exactly. You seemed extra close to Scout and Scarlette, and you knew so much about Jade. Plus she had said that?—”
“That she was like a sister to me. That’s how we typically explain it when that topic comes up.”
“How often has the topic come up?” Bianca pressed her lips closed and headed toward the end of the driveway. She really should have hit snooze this morning. But there was no ignoring a four a.m. call time.
Some things didn’t need to be asked when one was tired. Side note: cookies did not always make a day go better.
Eddie grunted. “Probably too many times. Her mother was friends with my grand-ma’am. The previous women I dated always had questions about Jade and the kids.”
Was sinking into the ground a current option?
“I’m glad they have you to count on, then. Despite what my actions may or may not show, I know money doesn’t fix everything. I only wanted to help.”
Like all those who’d helped her.
Eddie leaned his hip against her car. “Sometimes helping means being there right beside the person. I know I had someone in my life who offered big promises, but all I really wanted was for them to show up.”
Bianca stepped beside her car. “Couldn’t it be both?” She hugged her arms around herself and stared at the road. “When I started getting into youth theater, my teacher helped me apply to this prestigious acting camp, but when I actually was chosen, my parents realized they couldn’t pay for it. I don’t know who was more crushed, my teacher or me, but my teacher told me to write a letter about why I wanted to go to camp. Somehow, a stranger ended up covering my fees.”
She shrugged. “I had the best time at camp. Learned so much. It’s when I realized I could actually maybe make my dream come true to become an actress. I promised myself if I did, I wanted to become like that woman who gave me a chance to build my dream because of her giving heart.”
Eddie dipped his head. “I wish more people in Last Chance County would notice the needs of the kids here.”
Wasn’t that what she had been trying to do? Except she was making Eddie give something to her in return. Not exactly like the generous woman of Bianca’s childhood.
The blue car that had followed her had returned. The driver drove in the opposite direction, his window rolled down and his phone aimed at Bianca and Eddie. One day she’d get to live her everyday moments without being watched and talked about.
However, this had been her dream. She fisted her fingers and leaned against the hood of her car with a smile directed at Eddie.
Eddie squinted at her. “What are you doing?”
She held on to her smile. “There’s someone taking our picture from the road.”
Eddie stiffened. “Of course there is. How could I have forgotten?”
The problem was, she had forgotten. And she wasn’t sure that was a good thing.