3. Chapter Three
Thankfully, Katie’s mom, Grant, and Christopher kept their distance after whatever strange test of wills had transpired between Ethan and Grant. Ethan remained at her side, offering a sense of security she had not experienced in years. She found added comfort in learning that Pastor Donovan still pastored the church and would conduct the service today. Like the Harts, he’d always been kind to her when she was a child. She’d never forget how he had taken the time to teach her the proper way to throw a baseball at one of the church picnics she and Grandma had attended. He took the same time today to seek her out to pray with her and offer her encouragement.
Others offered their own condolences. Some Katie recognized from her time in church, and each had a special memory to share about Grandma. Though it brought tears, she loved hearing firsthand how much Grandma had meant to each of them.
Once the service started, Ethan guided Katie to a row with the rest of the family. She thanked God she did not have to sit up front, alone, with Mom and Grant right across the aisle. More tears flowed, and she quickly worked through the extra tissues she had snagged from the foyer.
At the end of the service, Katie pulled her shawl tighter around herself and followed Ethan’s parents outside into the cool air. A heavy dampness chilled the breeze now. Dark clouds threatened, though she hoped the rain would hold off. It didn’t help the ache working through her sinuses and up into her head from crying so much.
Ethan slowed and gestured toward her car as if he sensed her discomfort. “Would you like me to drive you? I came with my parents, so I don’t have a vehicle here.”
Katie hesitated. He’d already done so much for her, and yet it had been so good to have someone to lean on. “If you don’t mind.”
“Not at all.”
He followed her toward her car, and she dug in her purse for her keys. After unlocking the doors, she handed them to him. Inside, Katie settled into the passenger seat and buckled the seatbelt. Ethan slid in on the other side, a bit scrunched. He looked over at her.
“You don’t mind if I adjust the seat, do you?”
“No, that’s fine.”
On the rare occasions Drew drove her car, he couldn’t even get in without adjusting it first, but he was a lot taller than Ethan. Taller than most people, actually.
Neither said anything as he backed out of the parking spot and pulled the car around to join the funeral procession. Once they had left the church and turned toward the cemetery, he glanced at her again.
“How are you holding up?”
Katie took a long breath and weighed that question. “Better than I thought I would in some ways.” Mainly thanks to him and his family. “But it’s still really hard.”
Even now, just the thought of never seeing Grandma knocked the breath from her lungs.
Not too far from the church, they pulled up to a large cemetery dotted with tall pines and winding gravel paths. Ethan parked and got out, and Katie paused to make sure she had tissues in her purse. By the time she finished, Ethan had rounded the vehicle and opened her door for her. She stepped out and adjusted her shawl as she walked with him to Grandma’s burial plot.
When they arrived, Katie focused on the headstone already in place, bearing the name John Lachlan. She didn’t remember Grandpa nearly as well as she would have liked since he had died when she was four, but she remembered his laugh. Grandma had always talked about the way he found humor in things. If he could have lived longer and she could have stayed with them here in Two Lakes, life would have been much brighter.
Though she tried to focus on Pastor Donovan’s closing words, Katie didn’t catch much of what he said to conclude the funeral. Before she knew it, people dispersed, giving her final sympathies on their way out. She looked over her shoulder and watched Mom, Christopher, and Grant walk away without a word or backward glance, leaving her alone. She preferred it that way, but it still left an ache deep inside that longed for family.
With a sigh, Katie turned back to the grave. Ethan still stood beside her. She held his gaze for a long moment, unsure what to say. Today couldn’t be easy for him either. He didn’t owe her anything and shouldn’t have to stand around here with her just to make sure she was all right when he was grieving too.
She cleared her throat. “You don’t have to stay here with me.”
“I don’t want you to be alone.”
She glanced toward the remaining vehicles still parked along the path. “Aren’t your parents waiting for you?” They were the ones he should grieve with.
“They’ll wait. Unless you want to be alone. I’ll go if you do.”
The strength with which her heart rebelled at him leaving surprised her. After all this time, she should be used to being alone, but she shook her head. “I don’t.” She took a deep breath. “I just need a little longer.”
“Take all the time you need.”
She could tell he meant every word, but she tried to hurry her emotions into order. The last thing she wanted was to be a burden, even if he seemed willing to stand here all day.
She turned back to the grave. Time to say goodbye. She let a few memories of years long past flow through her mind, all leading up to her final conversation with Grandma. Katie had been struggling under the weight of life and various issues. As always, Grandma had encouraged her like no one else could, pointing her to God’s abundant grace. I really need that grace right now, Lord. It’s going to be so hard without her.
She’d barely finished the prayer when a quiet nudge shifted her thoughts toward Ethan. God had given her grace today in the form of an old friend. A presence to stand by her side so she wouldn’t have to face this trial alone. If Grandma had been there, she would have given Katie a knowing smile. Katie could almost hear her saying, “See, dear, God always provides in our time of need.”
Tears made their way down her cheeks even as the barest smile tugged at her lips. I’ll miss you, Grandma, but I’ll do my best to remember everything you taught me.
A sprinkle of cool rain tickled her face. She glanced up into the gray sky. If she lingered much longer, sprinkles might turn into a shower, and she wouldn’t keep Ethan standing here in the rain. She squeezed her eyes shut for one final moment to let go and then turned to him.
“I’m ready.”
Together, they walked toward the cars. After a moment, Ethan glanced over at her.
“How long are you staying in Two Lakes?”
“Until Monday. I’m supposed to meet with Grandma’s attorney. Something about her will, I think.” Her stomach knotted. Everything about the meeting spelled trouble.
“Are you at the Holiday Inn?”
If only. Instead, she had to return to her musty motel room for the next few days. “No, they’re booked up except for their more expensive suites.”
“Yeah, I figured with the concerts. Were you able to find anything nearby?”
“The only thing I could afford was that motel south of town.”
Ethan slowed and turned to her. “Night’s Edge?”
Katie nodded, stopping with him.
Ethan winced, and his lips twitched as if he wanted to say something.
The reaction only intensified the knots in Katie’s stomach. “What?”
He hesitated. “Not to go inserting myself into your business, but that place is as sketchy as its name. I’d be pretty leery about staying there.”
“I don’t have much choice other than sleeping in my car.” Which looked ever more like a better option. She could ask Drew for money, but she hated to do that. She already owed him for part of this month’s rent, though he’d probably brush it off when she tried to repay him. The only reason he did well enough to loan her money in the first place was because his parents had paid for his tuition. It felt like taking advantage of both him and them.
“Well, you do now. Come stay with my parents.” Ethan’s invitation halted her thoughts. “They’d be more than happy to have you. I’m in the cabin now, and Joel and Megan have their own places. The only one of us four there currently is Becca, so there’s plenty of room.”
Katie looked between him and the gray truck that belonged to his parents. “I couldn’t just barge in on them like that.”
“You’re not. If they were standing here, they’d make the offer instead of me.” True concern weighed on his expression. “Listen, I’m not trying to be pushy. I just know Johnny, the motel manager, and what he allows to go on there, and I think you’d be safer somewhere else.”
Katie adjusted her shawl as a few more sprinkles cooled her skin. It would be foolish to ignore his warning. “I guess I could do that.”
A smile eased the lines on his face. “Good. I’ll let my parents know. Would you like any help getting your stuff? I’d be happy to go along with you.”
The two guys by the truck came to mind. Would they still be there? Surely, they wouldn’t try something out in the open in broad daylight, but who was she to say? She’d heard enough stories not to assume anything or ignore a bad feeling, especially after what Ethan had said. If he was willing to accompany her, it might be wise to let him.
“If you really don’t mind.”
“Of course not.”
Katie returned to her car while Ethan discussed their plans with his parents. When she reached it, she realized he still had her keys, so she stood and waited for him. A minute later, he strode toward her. He held up the keys.
“Want me to drive?”
Since the seat was still adjusted to his height, she nodded. It was one less thing to think about.
They both got in, and as they buckled their seatbelts, Ethan sent her a quick smile. “My parents are thrilled to have you. They were afraid we wouldn’t get to see you again before you left. I think we’re all eager to catch up after so long. It’ll be like old times.”
Now that she’d accepted the invitation, anticipation stirred within Katie. Perhaps she could recapture some of the belonging she had found with the Harts as a child, even temporarily. She needed that right now.
They pulled away from the cemetery as heavy raindrops pattered against the windshield, and Katie settled back into her seat with a sigh. All at once, the sleepless nights and the emotions of the past four days descended on her. It would be so nice to change into something comfortable and try to relax.
Once they’d turned onto the highway running through town, Katie tipped her head to look at Ethan. She couldn’t help staring and taking in how much he’d changed from the teenager she once knew. She probably had too, though many days it did not feel like it.
He must have noticed and glanced at her. His brows dipped, though he kept his eyes on the road. “What?”
She shook her head. “It’s just crazy seeing you again. I didn’t even know if you were still in Two Lakes.”
“It’s been a long time.” A wistful undercurrent tinged his voice.
The same wistfulness ached deep down inside Katie, where the trauma of leaving had never completely healed. “It has been.” A long time and a lot of life lived. They had so much to catch up on. Where did they even start?
The basics, she supposed. “How have you been? What have you been doing?”
“Good, for the most part. I have my own woodworking business now.”
“Really? I thought you planned to work with your dad.” For as long as Katie had lived in the area, Ethan’s dad and grandpa had operated a successful construction company. Joel had joined them when he graduated, and Ethan had said he would too.
“I did for a while. I worked with Dad and Joel right out of high school, but I realized I was more drawn to cabinetry and furniture than construction, so about a year ago, I decided to try doing it full time.”
“And it’s going well?”
He shrugged, slowing at a stoplight. “It’s the first year of business, so I wouldn’t call it a success just yet. I sell to some shops in the area, and Dad and Joel recommend me for custom orders when they can. I hope it will continue to grow as I become more established and make more connections. I still work with Joel when he needs an extra hand. My dad is mostly retired, so Joel has taken over the business. What about you?”
She winced. How did she answer that question? Like Ethan, she would love to run her own business, but that dream seemed so far out of reach it wasn’t even worth mentioning. “I’m between jobs at the moment. Not exactly by choice.”
“I’m sorry. That must be difficult.”
He had no idea, and she let the conversation fall silent. If she tried to talk about it now with the funeral emotions still so strong, she’d start crying again, and she didn’t want that.
A minute or two passed. Then Ethan’s voice rose over the patter of the rain. “So, Christopher doesn’t seem to have changed much, considering I haven’t seen him since he was, what…ten?”
Katie jumped on the change of topic, thankful he hadn’t asked any questions about her lack of employment. “Only bad changes. We haven’t had contact in years, but from what I see in passing on his social media, he’s into some dark stuff.”
“Drugs?”
“Your guess is as good as mine.”
“Does he have a job or anything?”
“I don’t know. Probably not. I know he never finished college and used to live with friends down by Lake Geneva, but I’m pretty sure he lives with my mom and Grant now.”
Her family was a mess any way you looked at it. And though she had fought to do better, could she really say she had succeeded?