Page 65 of In This Moment
He exhaled long and slow as he pulled his car into the garage and cut the engine. The kids needed dinner. Usually it fell to Jordy to get the meal started. The boy loved cooking. He even talked about opening a restaurant one day. But tonight the job would be Wendell’s. Jordy was headed out for a study group with Cami and a few other students.
As Wendell walked up the garage stairs he checked the time on his phone. Just after six-thirty. It would be three hours before he could think about the trial again. Dinner and dishes and homework would keep him busy until then.
And maybe that was a good thing.
He opened the door and suddenly he was looking into the face of Alicia Harris. “Hi, Wendell.” She took his briefcase from him and stepped aside. “Dinner’s ready.”
Behind her the children all wore sneaky smiles. Even Jordy. “Surprise!” Their voices came together in the happiest sound Wendell had heard all day.
Spread out on the table in front of them was baked chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and a salad. Cooling on the counter was what looked like a pan of brownies.
The worries of the day and the unknowns about tomorrow faded as the kids came to him. They surrounded him in a group hug. “Do I have the best kids in the world, or what?” He winked at Alicia, who was standing back a bit, smiling bigger than all of them.
Leah was still in her band uniform. “We made this plan a week ago! Alicia called me and we put together a shopping list.”
“Alicia bought the groceries on the way over.” Jordy smiled at her and then back at Wendell. “It’s like a pre-celebration. Because we trust God for a victory.”
Wendell’s heart melted. “Seriously?” He looked from Jordy to Leah as he kissed his older daughter’s forehead.
“I made the green beans.” Darrell grinned as he made his way closer to Wendell. “Alicia said they’re the best ever.”
Alexandria giggled. “She snuck a taste.” She looked at Alicia. “Right?”
“I did.” Alicia ran her hand along Alexandria’s hair. Then she faced Wendell. “We’ve had the best time.”
Wendell laughed. “Let’s just say this is the highlight of my whole week.”
“That’s what we thought.” Darrell pulled Wendell toward the food. “Now can we pray? I’m starving!”
Wendell put his arm around Alicia as they gathered in a circle near the table. Their eyes met and held. They would talk later. But for now he didn’t need words to tell her how grateful he was for her presence, that she was here tonight. Not just because of dinner. But because spending time with his kids meant they had something else to think about beside the trial.
They had a reason to smile and laugh and serve. All antidotes to fear and anxiety—not just for the kids, but for him.
Jordy reached out and took hold of his sisters’ hands, one on each side of him. “Can I pray tonight?”
Again Wendell was beyond touched. How could he feel anything but hope and joy with a family like this? He thought again of the passionate way Jordy had defended his interest in Cami the other night. How God was so very real to the boy. Wendell smiled at him. “Yes, Son. Please.”
Wendell took hold of Alicia’s hand on one side and Darrell’s on the other. When the circle was complete, Jordy began. “Father, You are always with us. Here and tomorrow and through whatever this week brings. We have already won because of You, and for that we thank You.” He hesitated. “Thank You for this food, and thank You for the best dad any kids ever had. Thanks for Alicia, too.” A smile filled his voice. “It’s good to have her back. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
They sat at the table and the next hour was a celebration of laughter and conversation. Each of the kids shared something from their day. Jordy got an A on a big paper in English. Leah received a letter from her band instructor promising to recommend her for scholarships when the time came for college. Alexandria decided to audition for the lead in her club’s upcoming performance ofLittle Women,and Darrell made the basketball team.
“What about you?” Alicia smiled at him from across the table. She sat between the girls, the way she had done before their breakup. Everything about the dinner felt like something from a dream.
“Me?” Wendell thought about his day, the somber warning from Luke Baxter, the way his students asked him nervous questions at their club meeting this afternoon. He took a deep breath, grinned at Alicia and then each of his children. “Today was the best day ever because the world’s greatest kids made me dinner!”
Alexandria bounced in her seat. “Don’t forget the world’s greatest girlfriend!”
Wendell shared a quick glance with Alicia before he looked in Leah’s direction. He smiled. “Yes, her, too.” He nodded toward Alicia. “Thank you for pulling it all together.”
After dinner, Wendell worked with Darrell on his science homework and Alicia helped Leah memorize her history flash cards. Through the next few hours Wendell would catch himself watching Alicia, imagining that tonight wasn’t merely her kindhearted way of helping a friend in need.
But that they might stay like this forever.
The kids felt the same way, Wendell could sense it. Each of them loved Alicia—the girls, especially. Being a single father was something Wendell worked his hardest at. But nothing could replace the role of a mother figure in the lives of his girls.
Tonight was proof.
When her homework was finished, Leah asked Alicia to come to the girls’ room and check out a new lip gloss she’d gotten for her band performance. Not to be outdone, Alexandria clutched Alicia’s hand as the three of them walked upstairs. “I have a new lip gloss too. It’s clear, but it’s really pretty. I’ll show you.”
