Read Chapter One.
Read Chapter Two.
Read Chapter Three.
Read Chapter Four.
Read Chapter Five.
Read Chapter Six.
Read Chapter Seven.
Read Chapter Eight.
A Dozen Apologies
Chapter Nine - September
Elliott Weston
Mara averted
the shower nozzle until the dog shut his gaping maw. One lower canine tooth
protruded. He looked up with soulful eyes. So adorable. All the dogs she’d
encountered this week were sweethearts. Gentle, loving, humble, they didn’t
hold grudges, didn’t complain, were ready to forgive and forget. They accepted
whatever you did to them without complaint.
Well, a few
complained, but they got over it quick enough. Men, on the other hand, weren’t
quite as magnanimous as their four-footed best friends. She sighed and mentally
checked off her list—seven down, five to go. Apologizing to the guys she’d
wronged didn’t get any easier with practice.
She shuddered
recalling the chickens in Alabama and before that the horses in Kentucky. A few
more weeks here at Yips and Yaps
would go a long way toward funding the trip to Colorado after Christmas.
Her bruised ego
could sure use a reprieve.
She leaned in
to finish Edgar’s rinse … and received a full-face slurp in return. Ew! She
shrugged one shoulder to wipe the slobber from her face.
Edgar went into
a frenzy. He shook his head and body in a twisting motion to rid himself of the
excess bath water and drenched Mara in the process.
“All right,
buddy. That’s enough. Let’s get you toweled off.” She gave him a brisk rub down
followed by a quick once over with the hairdryer. “There we go, all clean and
shiny. You smell good, too.”
Of course, she smelled like wet dog now. Bathing
sixteen animals in five hours would do that.
Mara stole a
peek at the clock on the wall and groaned. She’d worked through her lunch hour
to keep up with the appointment schedule. With a dozen cages left to clean, six
dogs to walk, supplies to restock, and the school kids due to arrive in less
than thirty minutes, it looked like quitting time would also come and go
without a stop.
Mara pressed a
hand to her aching back and laughed at her own naiveté. She still rued the loss
of her best silk blouse that first day. Canine Salon Assistant in pet
superstore vernacular did not translate to an administrative position. Note to
self: next time ask what the job entails.
Like she would
have turned it down. Not with her bank account on a starvation diet. Perhaps
once she completed the crazy task she’d set, the future could take center
stage. Her thoughts drifted to the sketch book still in her suitcase. Maybe …
No. First
things first. She’d made a commitment. To God and herself. Isn’t that what
Sunday’s sermon in Proverbs had been about? When
pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.
With all the
humble pie she’d racked up lately, she ought to be among the wisest people in
the world!
Clipping a
leash on the bulldog, she let him lead her back to his cage. Water refreshed,
she told Bernice, the silver haired groomer, that Edgar was ready for his
pedicure.
“Mara, be sure
those cages are clean before the children get here. Can’t have them complaining
about the smell.”
“Yes, ma’am.
Next on my list.” Fortunately, only one cage required the pooper-scooper, but
several of the dogs had been here since opening. They needed to be walked soon
before more cages required attention. Or baths re-done.
She saved the
beagles until last, knowing the boisterous pair would require extra time. Ivan,
the tricolor brown, black, and white standard, and Maxwell, a black and tan
blue tick, could be a little too smart for their own good. Maxwell, the clever
rascal, had managed to escape his cage once already. And chewed a hole in the
twenty-pound box of treats. Hopefully he wouldn’t puke before his owner came to
pick him up.
The weather
outside remained warm during the day, but by late afternoon the temperature
would dip. September. She loved this time of year in the south—a hint of autumn
nip combined with a heady scent of ripe apples. A yellow school bus turned into
the parking lot as she and the beagles finished their walk. A dozen school
children emerged and descended on the store.
“Mara,” Bernice
called out. “They’re here.”
“Be right
there.” Rechecking the latches on the beagles’ cages—you couldn’t be too
careful with Maxwell—she glanced in the mirror over the sink and used her
fingers to comb through the wild disarray of curls and ruthlessly pulled her
long mane into a ponytail and splashed water on her face. Edgar’s earlier
ministrations had removed the last of her makeup. She wouldn’t win any beauty
contests today.
Plastering a
smile on her face, Mara headed to the front. Give a quick tour through the
store. Add a little commentary while they watched Bernice work her magic with
the clippers. And then the finale—fifteen minutes to ooh and ah over the
rabbits, hamsters, puppies, kitties, and fish. After that, home to a hot bath,
a home-cooked meal, and bed, thank You, Jesus.
Before she made
it to the counter, Mara realized these kids were different. One little girl,
dressed in pink jeans and a white t-shirt, stood off to the side, twirling a
long strand of ash blonde hair. Her eyes remained fixed on the floor. Another
child, a smallish boy, walked aided by forearm crutches, his legs encased in
braces. Several other children, obviously wound up, stuttered in excitement.
Their teacher
squatted in front of the kids with his back to Bernice and Mara. A big man by
the width of his shoulders. His dark, close-cropped hair bobbed amid the
towheads. He spoke in a quiet voice of command that held the children’s
attention.
“Zoe.” He
crooked a finger at the little girl who stood apart from the others. She ran to
him, flinging her arms around his neck. He gave her a quick squeeze and gently
peeled her arms away but kept hold of her hand. She clutched at his shirt for a
moment, revealing part of a tattoo that twined around one arm.
An image came
unbidden, that of a dragon’s tail wrapped around another bulging bicep. Someone
still on her must-see list.
The teacher’s
interaction with his charges charmed her. So many men felt uncomfortable around
kids, at least the guys she’d known. Add in all these special needs, and they’d
show you their dust without a blink. What made this man different?
Mara’s lips
twitched in a bittersweet smile at the stir of attraction. She made bad
decisions where men were concerned.
He stood,
turned to Bernice, and flashed a heart-stopping smile. “Good afternoon, ma’am.
We’re from Todd Elementary here for a tour.”
Bernice hurried
forward. “Oh, yes. We’re very excited to host your field trip.”
He turned with
an equally brilliant smile for Mara … and froze. The smile slipped from his
face. “You?”
His icy gray
eyes pinned Mara with an all too familiar look of loathing. She hadn’t planned
on finding Elliott until later and wasn’t prepared to deal with him now. Not
here. Apparently God had other plans.
She willed her
emotions aside and donned an emotionless mask, something she had become quite
adept at. “Elliott Weston. How are you?”
Bernice looked
at her and then Elliott and back to Mara again. Her avid eyes wouldn’t miss the
tension.
Before the
uncomfortable situation turned ugly, Mara turned to the children. “Hi, kids.
Want to see where we keep all the toys and stuff? After that, we’ll come back
here and let Bernice show us how she gives a dog a haircut. And then we’ll go
see the pets.”
“C-can we p-pet
the b-bunnies?”
“I want to hold
a puppy.”
“I have a bird.
Momma said w-we m-might g-g-get another one if I f-found one I l-liked.”
“Whoa, kids.
Let’s slow down.”
Just like that,
Elliott reestablished control. He’d been a natural leader on the football
field. And off campus where all the carousing took place. A rebellious bad boy.
And one of the reasons she’d picked him for the game.
“Are you our guide?” he asked Mara.
Elliott had
every reason to despise her, but his scorn opened wounds she’d thought were
protected. Mustering a scrap of pride, she lifted her chin. She would apologize
if the opportunity surfaced. Make it quick because he wouldn’t be forgiving.
“I’m sure I can find someone else—”
“No. I want you
to do it.”
He wanted his
pound of flesh. Some penances were harder to accept but had to be borne
nonetheless. She owed him that much. “Very well. Follow me.”
The kids
trailed behind her in an orderly procession, Elliott at the rear. Up one aisle
and down another, through the food, medicines, toys, crates, books, bones,
bowls, and leashes. When they got back to the salon, the kids gathered around
the low counter, fascinated by Bernice and the poodle on the grooming table.
“Why d-does the
doggy have a r-rope around his neck?”
“So he won’t
bite?”
“No, to keep
him from r-running away.”
Bernice
answered. “This helps him hold still so he doesn’t jump around and make me mess
up his haircut.”
The questions
continued as she switched on the clippers and explained each step.
This was a side
of Bernice Mara hadn’t seen before. She listened as raptly as the kids.
“You can
pretend I’m not here, but it won’t make it so. I never took you for a coward.”
Mara tensed.
How had he gotten so close without her knowing? “I’m very aware of you,
Elliott. I also know you despise being anywhere near me, so don’t worry. I’ll
keep my distance.”
“I heard you
were in New York. At some fancy design house. Why are you back in Spartanburg?
And washing dogs, for Pete’s sake.”
She looked up
and her eyes locked with his for a long moment until the intensity of his stare
made her tremble. The air sizzled between them, something she hadn’t expected.
Maybe the truth would relieve some of his resentment. “I fell for someone who
let me believe he returned my feelings and then humiliated me. What goes around
comes around, huh?”
“What
happened?”
“I trusted him.
He stole my designs and pawned them off as his work. He got the job I wanted
and then fired me. Now, no one in the business will hire me.”
He didn’t speak
for a long moment. “I’m sorry.”
Her head jerked
up. “What? Why?”
“Because
betrayal leaves you gutted, and I wouldn’t wish that feeling on anyone.”
“Elliott,
there’s so much I need to apologize for. I’m—”
“No.” He
growled, his voice harsh. “Not here. If you want to apologize, to ask my
forgiveness, you’ll do it without the buffer of a public place, without the
buffer of the kids. Are you staying with your parents?”
She nodded,
blinking hard to stay unexpected tears. “I was never very good with budgets.”
She waved one arm around and tried to laugh “Or keeping jobs.”
The kids interrupted
their tête-à-tête with cheers and handclapping. The white standard poodle now
sported an English saddle clip with a puff ball on his tail and around all four
feet. The girls lobbied for a pink ribbon for the dog’s head while the boys
wanted any color but pink. The owner arrived and settled the argument by
choosing a red satin ribbon.
“Who wants to
go see the puppies now?” Mara asked.
Amidst happy
shouts, they made their way to the pet adoption department. She gave
instructions to not touch or scare the animals, birds, and fishes, and allowed
the children to roam around the confined area.
“So you became
a teacher?” Mara asked to divert Elliott’s attention.
“Yeah. After I
tore up my ankle at football camp, I spent my summers at children’s camps.”
She flinched,
remembering the horrendous injury he suffered between his freshman and
sophomore year at the University of South Carolina. The Carolina Panthers had
invited him to their summer squads, and she’d gone with him. He didn’t get
beyond the first play, though. His dream of a professional football career
ended that day with torn ligaments and a ruptured Achilles tendon. His college
career ended as well.
“I was good
with kids. I like them, and they liked me. Later I discovered a passion for
special needs kids. It took me two extra years of specialized training, but
I’ve never regretted it.”
A small black
puppy ran their way.
“How did …”
Mara grabbed for the Scottie, missed collaring the pooch … and lunged for
another pup that raced by. Soon, the aisles were filled with dogs of all sizes,
breeds, and colors. “Oh, this is not good.”
“The kids.”
Elliott tucked a Yorkie under his arm, scooped up a Cocker Spaniel, and hurried
back to the bank of kennels.
A wrinkled
little pug pawed at Mara’s feet. She picked him up and followed Elliott, who
now confronted the prison break accomplice still at work.
The little girl
in the pink jeans sobbed, tears streaming down her face, as she worked
furiously to unlatch the last cage. The boxer puppy inside whined, anxious for
his trip to freedom.
Elliott stuffed
the two dogs he’d captured into a cage and latched it before reaching for the
little girl. He pulled her into a hug. “Zoe, Zoe, Zoe, what are you doing,
sweetheart? Why are you crying?”
“They’re s-so
s-s-scared,” she sobbed. “I d-don’t like the c-cages.”
“Shhh, Zoe.
It’s okay. Not all cages are bad, honey. The puppies don’t mind them. See how
this guy licks my hand?” He stuck his fingers through the wire cage and tickled
the boxer puppy’s mushed face.
The store came
alive with barks, yelps, and squeals. Soon the beagles in the salon joined in
and brayed their displeasure at being left out of the romp. The kids bounced
around like Mexican jumping beans while the customers laughed as store
employees tried to catch the runaways. A display of dog food toppled over. Cans
spilled everywhere.
“What’s the
meaning of this, Ms. Adkins?” Mr. Perkins, the store manager, demanded, his
faced flushed dark red. “Whoever let these animals out is in big trouble.”
Mara stepped
forward as Elliott tried to soothe the little girl’s hysteria. “I’m sorry, sir.
The children wanted to pet the puppies. I thought it would be okay, but things
got a little out of hand.”
“A little out
of hand! This isn’t a petting zoo. No one handles the live merchandise unless
it’s a serious buyer. Now, round up these mutts and lock them up. And get these
kids out of my store!” Mr. Perkins stormed away but turned before he
disappeared around the corner. “I’ll see you in my office once this is set to rights.”
She turned to
join the hunt, forcing her slumped shoulders to straighten. She’d lost better
jobs than this. Something else would turn up. It always did. First, though, she
had puppies to catch.
“Mara, wait.”
She couldn’t
deal with his animosity now. “For what, Elliott? You don’t want my apology.
Take your kids and go.”
“Let me get Zoe
and the others on the bus. The driver will watch them while I help you round up
the dogs.”
“Just leave.”
“We’re not
through talking. I’ll be back in a minute.”
He was good as
his word and returned to snare the last scoundrel, a sneaky little Chihuahua.
“You shouldn’t
have come back, but thank you.” She wiped perspiration from her face with the
back of her hand.
“Why did you
tell your boss you let the dogs out? Why’d you protect Zoe and me? It could
cost your job.”
“Yeah, well it
won’t be the first job I’ve lost. Probably not the last either. It was my
responsibility. I should’ve paid closer attention.
Elliott’s dark
blue eyes seemed to drill into her soul. “I do want to hear your apology, Mara.
If you still want to give it.”
Her stomach did
a funny flip. “Okaaay.”
She swallowed
hard, calling on the Bible verse from the pastor’s Sunday sermon, something
from the book of Matthew. Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever
humbles himself shall be exalted. She’d eaten a double portion of humble pie
over the past few months. When did the exalted part come? “You want your pound
of flesh, don’t you?”
His mouth
twisted, but whether in a smile or a sneer, she didn’t know. “My grandma used
to say, ‘Women forgive, but don’t forget, while men forget, but don’t forgive.’
Try me, Mara. See if I can forgive you.”
Unable to bear
the intensity of his stare, she looked away. Confession might be good for the
soul, but it didn’t get easier with the doing. One lesson this exercise had
taught her—if it’s bad enough to require an apology later, don’t do it in the
first place.
Mara looked
toward the bus. While the other kids frolicked inside, awaiting the return of
their teacher, Little Zoe hung out the window, anxiously following Elliott’s
every move. Inside the store, the little girl had done what she thought was
right. An honest and forthright reaction.
With a soft
sigh, Mara raised her head. “I am truly sorry for what I did to you, Elliott.
You didn’t deserve the ugly words I threw at you, or the humiliating rejection
in front of your friends. I knew it was wrong, but I did it anyway. Doesn’t say
much for my integrity, does it?”
He ran a hand
through his short-cropped hair. It was his turn to look away.
Because we want YOU to choose the best hero for Mara, we're going to try to keep the author/creator of each chapter a secret until after the voting is over. If you know one of the authors, and pick out her chapter, please help us keep the secret. We want the hero chosen based on his personality and his chemistry with Mara, and not make it a contest between authors.
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Peace settled
around her like a warm shawl. “I thought by cutting you and the others down, it
showed how strong I was. The truth is, you and some of the other guys were the
strong ones. I hid my insecurity behind a shield of malice.”
She
straightened. Time to wrap up before she embarrassed herself and him any
further. “I’m not that person anymore. You see, Jesus changed my heart. While I
had hoped to earn your forgiveness, I can’t make you accept my apology. A wise
man told me recently I had to move forward and not backward. I pray you can do
the same.” She touched his arm. “Thank you for letting me get out what I needed
to say.”
UPDATE:
VOTE FEBRUARY 5 THROUGH FEBRUARY 8 FOR YOUR FAVORITE HERO!
Voting opens at Noon (EST) on Feb 5.
Because we want YOU to choose the best hero for Mara, we're going to try to keep the author/creator of each chapter a secret until after the voting is over. If you know one of the authors, and pick out her chapter, please help us keep the secret. We want the hero chosen based on his personality and his chemistry with Mara, and not make it a contest between authors.
We're depending on you to help us spread the word!
Our authors are also offering some inside glimpses into the writing process, some interviews with authors, heroes, and even the publisher. And that Marji - she somehow got hold of Mara's journal, so you'll be able to read some of her thoughts as she goes through this experience. Fay snagged interviews with all the heroes too. Check out all the links below to stay on top of the latest.
Thanks for joining us in Mara's adventure - we hope you have a great time!
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