“No. Just the opposite.”
The woman’s brow knitted. “You mentioned Molly was in preschool for three months in San Francisco. Where was she before that?”
“With my mother, in a small town in Missouri. Mom died four months ago, and I brought her to live with me.”
“I saw on the application that you’re her uncle. May I ask about her parents?”
“Her mother was never in the picture after she was born.” There was more to that story, but why share the details? “My brother had full custody. He tried raising Molly alone for the first two years, but he was in the military, and once he was deployed, he and Mom agreed it would be better for her if she stayed in Missouri.” Logan swallowed. “He was killed in the Middle East a year ago.”
The woman’s features softened. “I’m so sorry for your losses.”
“Thank you. I promised him I’d take Molly if anything ever happened to him and Mom couldn’t be her guardian—but to be honest, I never thought I’d have to make good on that pledge.”
“Had you and Molly spent much time together before she came to live with you?”
“No.”
The woman glanced at his niece, who was watching them, finger stuck in her mouth. “After hearing your story, I can see why she’s having some trouble. People she loved are disappearing from her life, she’s been uprooted twice in less than six months, and she’s living with a relative she barely knows. That would be stressful for anyone, let alone a five-year-old.”
Yeah, it would.
But how was he supposed to fix this problem? He’d already changed his whole life to try and give her a more stable existence. Taken a new job with more reasonable hours, bought a house in a small town more conducive to raising a child than a large city like San Francisco, even thrown a dog into the mix. He read her fairy princess stories, was taking her to tea, catered to her food preferences. What more could he do?
Logan massaged his temple, where a jackhammer was revving up. “I have no idea where to go from here—and I don’t have long to resolve this.”
Like seven days.
At this hour next week, he’d be on the job at the urgent care center.
“I understand.” The woman linked her fingers in her lap. “You might want to consider a more intimate daycare arrangement. Perhaps you could find someone who could come to your home, or who watches only a couple of children in her home.”
“Can you recommend anyone? I’m new to the area and haven’t met many people yet.”
“I wish I could, but it’s against our policy—for liability reasons.”
Yeah, he knew all about liability. Malpractice insurance was astronomical.
“Any other suggestions?”
She tipped her head. “If you’re a churchgoer, that could be a resource. Pastors often know of reliable people who are interested in that kind of work. Of course you’d still want to vet anyone you plan to hire.”
A tall order to fill in one week.
But that wasn’t Laura Wilson’s problem.
He stood, and she followed suit as he extended his hand. “Thank you for calling me, and for all your insights.”
“I wish I could do more.” She returned his shake with a firm clasp. “Molly’s a sweet girl, and I know in the appropriate environment she’ll thrive.”
“Finding that environment will be tricky.”
“I hear you. But remember, the best thing you can do for a child whose world has been rocked is love them. Let Molly know you’re there for her. Cuddle her. Listen to her. Keep your promises. Eventually, once life settles into a routine, she’ll respond to your attempts to win her over.”
“I hope you’re right. This single-parent gig is more challenging than I expected.”
She smiled. “You’ll get the hang of it. I talk to dozens of parents a week in this job, and I have positive vibes about you. Once you get the daycare situation worked out and Molly is comfortable, I think the two of you will do fine.”
“I appreciate the encouragement.”
But as he took Molly’s hand and they left the building, the woman’s expression of confidence wasn’t enough to quell his rising panic.
Finding a daycare arrangement fast that met both his criteria and Molly’s needs was a daunting task.
All he could do was pray—and hope an answer came to him sooner rather than later.
Otherwise, he’d be reporting to his first day on the job with a child in tow.
And while his experience and credentials had allowed him to negotiate a number of family-friendly job perks, onsite childcare hadn’t been one of them.
Meaning the clock was ticking on finding an arrangement for Molly that didn’t add more stress to her already topsy-turvy world.
So Molly was Logan’s niece, not his daughter.
Jeannette sat back in her patio chair and reread Marci’s Herald interview with the new urgent care doctor, which answered some of her questions about her neighbor.
For example—there was no wife . . . or girlfriend . . . or significant other.
Nevertheless, he’d taken on the role of Molly’s guardian after his brother was killed in the Middle East and his mother died suddenly of a heart attack.
She folded the paper and set it on the table, watching an optimistic bee flit from lavender plant to lavender plant—much too early in the season for the sweetness it was seeking. The plants weren’t yet ready to nurture a large population of bees.
Kind of like Logan didn’t appear ready to nurture a young niece.
Yet he was trying.
Hard.
While he’d played down his sacrifices in the article, it was clear he’d gone above and beyond to honor the promise he’d made to his brother, literally changing his life to do what he thought was best for his niece.
He’d even bought a dog that had become the bane of his existence.
The man was almost too good to be true.
Jeannette rose and wandered down one of the paths between the beds of lavender. The plants were flourishing under her tender loving care—an example of all that could be accomplished with singular devotion.
But she’d voluntarily given up her old life to relocate here and start over, making a choice she believed was in her own best interest.
Logan had upended his life for someone else’s best interest.
His unselfishness was humbling—and did nothing to assuage the guilt that had been plaguing her since she’d read the appeal in the church bulletin two days ago for an English teacher for the Shabos.
If Logan could change his entire life for one little girl, how could she not offer to spend a few hours a week helping a family who’d suffered unimaginable trauma?
Halting in the middle of the garden, she took a steadying breath and pulled out her cell.
Forty-eight hours had passed since she’d read the appeal in the bulletin for a tutor. If no one had yet stepped forward, she had to fill that role.
Reverend Baker answered on the second ring, and once they exchanged a few pleasantries, she made her offer, giving him a quick overview of her credentials.
After she finished, the line was silent.
“Reverend Baker?”
“Yes. Yes, I’m here. I was just stunned for a moment. I had no idea someone with your background and experience was in our midst. I always think of you as the lavender lady.”