A Healing Heart Read online

  The Camaro turned in front of us, and my eyes caught the startled gaze of Collin as he drove away from town. Our eyes made contact for only a split second, yet it had seemed forever. I quickly dismissed it and focused back on my friends’ banter as they discussed their systematic approach to shopping the following day.

  We finished up our drinks, and after hanging out for a while, it was time to go. On the way home, the rain steadily increased and had become a full downpour by the time we arrived at my aunt and uncle’s house. Grabbing my jacket, I flung it over my head as I ducked out of the car, ready to run to the front door.

  “Thanks, guys! Have fun tomorrow! I’ll see you Monday!” I called to them as I slammed the car door shut and bolted as fast as I could to the front porch.

  I pulled my keys out, and unlocking the front door, I let myself in as Mia pulled away from the curb, both friends waving as they drove off. The house was dark and quiet, which meant my aunt and uncle were still out for the night.

  Shaking out my wet jacket, I slung it over the back of a chair in the kitchen and went upstairs. Reaching my room, I pulled my clothes off and grabbed my comfy flannel sleep pants and matching cotton T-shirt. After washing my face and brushing my teeth, I grabbed my iPod that was still sitting on my desk and lay down in bed. I grabbed the book that was lying on my nightstand to read for a bit, hoping it would help me fall asleep.

  That night as I tossed and turned through my ever-present nightmare, there was a new twist. This time in my dream, instead of sinking into complete blackness, I was staring into startling blue eyes, and there was a hand held out, trying to pull me out of the darkness.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Saturday morning dawned clear and sunny. White puffy clouds had replaced the dark ones, and everything was still wet from the downpour during the night. I rolled over in bed, pushing back the covers, and hit the off button on my alarm, surprised that I had actually slept until the alarm went off. Getting out of bed, I walked to the window and opened it to allow the fresh rain scent to blow into the room. I loved that smell, and I stood there for a minute with my eyes closed just enjoying it. Leaving the window open, I turned away and went to get ready for the day. Today I was baby-sitting little Riley Howard. He was a cute, spunky two-year-old that always kept me on my toes. His mother, Eileen, was my aunt’s hairdresser and was a widow. Her husband had been killed almost two years before while overseas in the marines. I had an instant bond with Eileen the first time I met her. The losses we had both suffered at almost the same time, gave us a kinship that I had not expected. Riley would never have any memories of his dad. I, at least would always carry precious memories of my family, with me in my heart.

  Just thinking about Riley made me smile. I was glad the sun was out this morning. Maybe there was still a chance I could take him to his favorite place, the park. I finished getting ready and went downstairs to grab a quick breakfast before driving over to the Howards’ house.

  After parking in front of their small Victorian, I got out of my car and went to the front door. As I opened it and went inside, I heard Riley yell from the upstairs, “BAIWEY!” I smiled. That was as close as he could get to my name.

  Setting my backpack down, I waited as he carefully maneuvered the stairs. This was a new accomplishment for him. He’d been going up for a while now, but going down had been a bit more difficult. He got to the bottom step and then ran full speed for my arms. I grabbed him and swung him around.

  “Hey, Riley.”

  Eileen appeared at the top of the steps and smiled as she came downstairs. “Morning, Bailey. It’s going to be a long day for me; I might not be home until close to seven p.m. Is that going to be okay? I know it’s a Saturday night and you probably have plans. I can try to get my neighbor to stay here if you have to leave.”

  “It’s no problem, really. I don’t have any plans tonight. It’s just Riley and me. We’ll be fine,” I said as I set Riley back down on his feet and he took off running. “I was thinking of taking him to the park this afternoon if it dried out. Is that okay?”

  “Sure, that would be great. Riley will enjoy that,” Eileen said as she gathered up her purse and keys. “Riley, come here and give me a kiss before I leave.” she called.

  Riley came tearing around the corner He’d picked up a fire truck and had it in his hand as he leaned over to give his mom a big kiss right on the lips. “Bye, Mommy. Wuv you.”

  “Bye, buddy. You be a good boy for Bailey, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “Alright. Well, have fun today. I’ll see you guys tonight. Bye, Bailey, thanks!”

  “Bye, Eileen, we’ll see you later.”

  As Eileen left the house, I snagged Riley again in my arms and carried his squirmy little body to the kitchen to feed him breakfast. After eating a banana and some yogurt, we were off on our activities for the day filled with lots of trucks, stuffed animals, and some of his favorite cartoons.

  After lunch and his nap, it had dried out enough outside that I figured we could try the park.

  “Are you ready for a trip to the park?” I asked him.

  “Yeah! Park! Park! I wanna go to the park!” he shrieked.

  Laughing, I bundled up his diaper bag and we went out to my car with his car seat. After buckling him up, I drove the short distance to his favorite park. I pulled up and was surprised at how many other people had ventured outside today. Parking in the small lot, I got him out of the car and we walked toward the play equipment. It didn’t take long before Riley was off and running with the other kids there. He was always so social and made friends wherever we were.

  There were several benches scattered around the area with good visibility of the play area. I picked a bench out in the bright sun and sat down. There were a couple of other moms sitting together watching the kids play.

  A cute little girl with curly, shoulder-length black hair was playing by herself in the sand. Riley had wandered right over to her and promptly sat down, startling her. “Hi,” he said.

  She looked up and seemed to pull back a bit. “Hi,” she said, so quietly I wasn’t quite sure she’d even said anything.

  Riley smiled and started to play with her, chatting away the whole time. Half of what he was saying didn’t make sense, but the little girl didn’t seem to mind. After a while, she relaxed and even shared some of her sand toys with Riley.

  The pain of remembering my little sister Brooke was starting to lessen a little. The initial stab was still there, but it wasn’t as incapacitating as it had once been. Brooke had been four, probably about the same age as the little girl that Riley played with. Anytime I saw a little girl so close in coloring and features, it brought back memories. I tried to push them back into the safe haven in my heart. I knew that my family would always live on in my memory and heart, but it was still hard to deal with them being stripped from me. I turned my attention back to Riley as he played and I sat soaking in the warm sun on my face. It was a peaceful day, and I was determined to allow myself to enjoy it.

  ~ Collin ~

  Sitting on a blanket in the shade of a big oak tree, I watched my little sister Lacey as she played in the sand. The park was one of her favorite places, and I tried to bring her as much as I could, since I was all that she had left. My dad worked all the time, and my mom had abandoned us before Lacey had even turned two.

  She wasn’t even “Mom” anymore to me; I thought of her only as “Krista,” and our contact with her was a few letters or e-mails she sent through the year. I tried not to dwell on it because it never did any good and only caused me to get angry. Lacey was such a sweet child, but not having a real mom around was hard on her. There were always baby-sitters that would help out, but with our family moving around so much, Lacey never got attached to any of them.

  The park was pretty full that day with kids playing on the swings and the other play equipment. A few moms chatted together on a bench nearby. Lacey never played with any of the kids, always keeping to herself. Glancing down at my
watch, I realized that we’d have to leave soon. I had to work that night and needed to get ready.

  I was gathering up our things when I saw the same girl that had run right into me the day before at school. I’d seen her around school a few times but had never paid much attention to her. Her long brown hair was down today, and she walked with an easy grace over the grass. A little toddler bounding in front of her was running as fast as his little feet could take him. She sat on a bench in the sun while the little boy ran right toward Lacey.

  My protective instinct was on full alert, and I started moving toward Lacey to make sure she was all right. She seemed a bit frightened by the energetic little boy. But as I watched their interchange, I realized that this actually might be a good thing for Lacey. She needed social interaction with other kids, and the little boy didn’t seem to be shy.

  Realizing that Lacey was okay, my attention shifted to the slim girl sitting on the bench. A bag lay next to her, and a small blue jacket was thrown over her lap. Intent on the little boy and Lacey, her emotions flickered across her face. She seemed happy, but then it looked almost like a shadow of sadness had washed over her features.

  Her eyes were a light color, I knew from our contact the day before, but I didn’t know for sure if they were green or blue. She was not gorgeous by model standards, but her classic features made her very attractive. Her face was framed nicely by her hair, which had highlights that were noticeable in the sun. Wispy bangs tapered on one side of her forehead. She relaxed against the bench and turned her face upward into the sun, closing her eyes just briefly. Racking my brain for any other information I had about her, my mind drew a blank. I’d have to ask my friend Quinn some questions. I knew that Quinn’s younger sister, Natasha, hung out with her.

  I sat there watching her on the bench for a few more minutes when she scanned the area and looked right in my direction. It was almost as if an electric current jolted through me as soon as our eyes made contact. She seemed shocked, and immediately pink washed her cheeks, which added to her sweet features. The glance lasted for a few more seconds before she quickly turned away. She was fiddling with her bag while the color staining her cheeks continued to get darker. Smiling, I picked up our belongings and walked toward her.

  ~ Bailey ~

  As I sat on the bench with my eyes closed, an image of a boy; tall, dark hair, bright blue eyes flashed in my head: Collin. I was beginning to think that little encounter yesterday rattled my head a bit. Pushing the memory from me, I opened my eyes and looked across the play area. Riley still sat with the little girl, and they seemed to be having fun. I wasn’t surprised Riley had made a friend; he always seemed to make at least one friend every time we came here. Looking past the play area, I noticed a dark shadow against a big tree trunk. It was hard to distinguish the features in the shade, but then it hit me like a lightning bolt. Collin! It couldn’t be, my mind was playing tricks. I had just thought about him; there was no way he was sitting on the ground just mere feet away, at a park nonetheless. Blinking, I looked harder and realized I wasn’t imagining it. Somehow, some way, it was Collin sitting there, and he was looking right at me.

  Horrified to have been caught staring, I looked quickly away. A thousand questions ran through my head, the most pressing one being why was he sitting here at the park? Feeling the heat rush to my cheeks, I hated that I blushed so easily. It was a curse for sure. Fumbling with my bag, I tried to find something to occupy my hands. Maybe he hadn’t noticed me. I was pretty sure he didn’t really know who I was. I blended in at school, never really drawing attention.

  The next thing I knew, a shadow cast across me. I hadn’t seen him get up; how had he gotten over here so fast? My heart started pounding in my chest. He was even better looking close up when I had a moment to really pay attention. His mouth turned up slightly in a smile as he looked down at me.

  “Hi, I’m Collin McKenna. Sorry I was a bit rude yesterday. Can I sit down here?”

  “Uh...yeah, sure. Sorry, you startled me. I’m Bailey, Bailey Walsh.” I pulled my bag off the bench and set it at my feet as he sat down next to me.

  “Bailey, nice to officially meet you. Is that your brother over there?” he asked while pointing to Riley.

  “No, just the little boy I baby-sit. His name is Riley,” I answered, trying to organize my thoughts into something logical. I’d have sworn my brain had just melted; I couldn’t seem to put a single rational thought together. What the heck was wrong with me? I felt like a tangle of nerves for absolutely no reason! Get it together, Bailey! I quietly told myself.

  “Ahh, I see. He’s a cute little kid. Looks like he’s a handful.”

  I smiled. “Yes, for sure, but he’s great, and I love the little guy.”

  “He seems to be enjoying playing with Lacey.”

  “Lacey?”

  “The little girl he’s playing with, that’s Lacey. She’s my sister.”

  Of all the craziness in the world. What were the chances that Riley would befriend Collin McKenna’s little sister?! Of course, I didn’t even know he had a little sister. “Riley’s very friendly. He always finds someone to befriend at the park,” I said as I slid a look in his direction, practically drowning in his clear blue eyes. It was hard to look away.

  “Do you come here much?” he asked.

  “Whenever I can. It’s Riley’s favorite thing to do besides playing with his trucks. I baby-sit for him a lot. I’ve been baby-sitting him since he was just a few months old. What about you, do you come here a lot? Where’s your mom? Why doesn’t she bring Lacey?”

  I was almost sorry I asked as I watched pain cross his face. His eyes got a hard edge to them and then it was gone so quickly I thought I had imagined it until he answered, and his voice was strained.

  “My mom left us some time ago. It’s just my dad, Lacey, and me. With my dad working a lot, I take care of Lacey as much as possible.”

  “Oh... I’m so sorry. I had no idea,” I managed to stutter. Lovely, just great. I felt like I had just stuck my huge foot right in my mouth.

  He smiled. “It’s okay. She’s a great kid, and we have a lot of fun together.”

  Looking back at Riley and Lacey in the sand, I noticed that Lacey seemed a bit frantic. She was looking toward the tree that Collin had been sitting under, and I could see the panic in her face.

  “You might want to let Lacey know you’re over here, I think she’s looking for you,” I said as I pointed in her direction.

  “Lacey!” Collin called as he got up from the bench. She turned quickly at the sound of his voice and relief flooded her face.

  “Collin! You scared me!” she cried and ran toward him, hugging him around the legs.

  “I’m sorry, sweetie. I was just over here talking to a friend.” He picked her up in his arms and sauntered back over to the bench where I was sitting.

  Riley, watching his friend disappear, grabbed her sand toys that she had left behind and brought them back to the bench.

  “Hey, Wacey, you forgot your toys,” Riley said as he reached us.

  “Thanks for bringing those here, Riley. That was being a good helper,” I praised him as he set the toys on the ground.

  “Welcome! Can you come pway again, Wacey?” he asked.

  Lacey, still in Collin’s arms, peered down at Riley and shyly nodded her head yes and smiled hesitantly.

  Collin, smiling, looked back at me. “Well, I guess that means we’re going to have to schedule a play date.”

  “Pwease, Baiwey! Pwease!” Riley pleaded.

  “Sure, Riley,” I agreed, smiling as I ruffled his hair. I could never tell him no; that little boy had me wrapped around his little finger and he knew it.

  Collin set Lacey back down on the ground and pulled out his cell phone that had been in his pocket. “Here, let me get your cell phone number and we can schedule another time to meet. Lacey’s really shy, and this is the first person she’s ever wanted to play with.”

  Numbly, I rattled off my number
for him. Before I knew it, I had my phone out, adding his number into my contact list as well. What a crazy day! I wondered if I’d wake up any minute now and realize it was only a dream.

  “Well, it was great to meet you, Bailey. I’ll call or text you later. Very nice to meet you too, Riley.” he said as he leaned down to shake little Riley’s hand. “We’ll get together soon, I promise. Come on, Lacey, let’s get your stuff and get going. I’ve got to get you home so I can go to work.”

  The two of them gathered up their stuff and walked toward Collin’s car, which I had parked right next to and hadn’t even paid attention to. Not like I ever expected to see Collin in a park! I watched them leave and waved back to Collin as he waved in our direction. Riley pulling on my sleeve brought me back into focus.

  “Do we hafta go?” he asked forlornly.

  “No, we can stay a bit longer; go play.”

  With that, he turned and ran back to the slides looking for a new friend to play with. I sat there in complete disbelief. That did not just happen. It was all in my active imagination. But then I looked at the phone still clutched in my hand and knew that Collin’s number was in there.

  * * *

  That evening as I was getting ready for bed, I kept going over in my head every little detail of the time in the park. I had finally come to terms that it had happened but figured Collin was just interested in finding someone for Lacey to play with. All the electricity that I felt was just me, and there was no way Collin could ever be interested in me. I was going to have to get some more info on him, though, from Natasha. I would call her first thing in the morning.

  I grabbed my book and settled into bed to read for a bit when my phone beeped at me. Reaching over to unplug it from the wall so I could see who had texted me, I about dropped the phone on the floor. It was Collin.

  hey bailey, when’s the next time u have riley?

  2morrow for a few hours

  time?