Following Rain Read online

  “You don’t need to,” Pricilla said.

  Rain felt her spirits sink. After such a promising start, had she failed once again to secure a sponsor?

  “We’re going to back you,” Pricilla added, as Paul began to chuckle.

  Blinking in confusion, Rain said, “I don’t understand.”

  “Since the Noxby Medical Center incident, we have decided to change how we make donations,” Pricilla explained. “We’re not investing in organizations anymore. We’re investing in people. And we have decided to invest in you, Rain. There is one stipulation, however.”

  Hardly daring to believe the good news, Rain said, “Anything. Just name it.”

  “We are going to ask for representation from now on. So we’d like someone to work with you on the fundraiser as our liaison. Are you okay with our terms?”

  “Yes! I’d love to work with you, Mrs. Blakely.”

  Pricilla smiled. “Oh, it won’t be me, although I do want to be kept in the loop. We’re designating Paul.”

  “Me?” Paul said in obvious surprise.

  “You’re doing the promo on the fundraiser anyway, so you’re in close contact with everyone. We want you to stay in touch with Rain and keep us informed of the progress and any special needs that may exist.”

  “Okay,” Paul replied. He put a finger under Rain’s chin and tilted her face toward him. “Looks like you did it, Rain. You found your sponsor.”

  CHAPTER 19

  Charlie looked up from the spaghetti and meatball dinner that Rain had prepared. “You look happy,” he said, studying her closely.

  “I am happy, Charlie. I’m here with you.”

  He grinned. “I’m happy to be here with you, too. But you seem extra special happy. Like on Christmas morning.” He hesitated. “But it’s not Christmas yet, right?”

  Rain set her fork aside and sighed contentedly. “It’s not Christmas yet, Charlie, but it sure feels like it.”

  He glanced around the room curiously. “How come?”

  “Because I got some good news today. Really good news.”

  “Like when I get extra time to play Angry Birds?”

  “Even better.”

  His eyes widened and he looked at her expectantly.

  “We found a sponsor today for our fundraiser, Charlie. We’re going to be able to raise money for the homeless shelter.”

  A momentary shadow of confusion crossed his face. “Don’t we have enough money? I got the new sprayer for washing dishes in the kitchen.”

  “But wouldn’t you like even more new things?”

  Charlie shrugged. “Maybe a new scrub brush.”

  Rain laughed. “I’m talking about fresh paint on the walls, new linoleum on the floor, and improvements to the plumbing and electrical systems. Also, upgrading the ventilation equipment and updating the—” She broke off when Charlie began to look more perplexed. “Wouldn’t you like a new stainless steel sink and a dishwasher that actually works?”

  “A sink with two holes?”

  “Yes, a double sink. And we have a chance to do all this because we have a sponsor for our fundraiser. That’s why I’m so happy.”

  “Let’s dance!” he announced suddenly.

  He pulled Rain to her feet and held her in dance position. Then humming a tune from Beauty and the Beast, he waltzed her around the kitchen, slowly at first, but then he began taking larger steps and spinning her under his arm in widening circles. At one point they bumped into a chair, and they laughed and locked arms in an effort to steady one another. They progressed from the kitchen into the small living room and back again, collapsing in laughter in their chairs at the table.

  “That was fun, Rain. I like it when you’re happy.”

  “I like it when you’re happy, too, Charlie.”

  He fell quiet for a moment. “Sometimes I get sad, though. Just like you do.”

  She looked at him curiously. “What do you mean?”

  He hesitated and picked at a lose thread on his pant leg. “Sometimes I hear you crying.”

  “When?”

  “At night when you’re in your bedroom.”

  Rain forced a smile. “It’s probably just the wind, Charlie. You know how it whistles through the trees?”

  He swallowed and studied his plate. “It wasn’t the wind last night. I tiptoed to your door and listened.” He shifted in his chair. “But I didn’t come in. You told me not to come in unless you ask me to. So I just stood there.” He lowered his voice to a whisper and added, “I cried, too, Rain.”

  Rain’s chin trembled as she went to the fridge and rummaged around for a moment. She returned to the table empty-handed and picked through her food, trying to will herself to eat. But her appetite had disappeared. She looked numbly at Charlie. He began to eat slowly, glancing at her occasionally but looking away quickly to avoid eye contact. The thought of him standing outside her bedroom door and weeping with her broke her heart. She was careful to keep her negative emotions hidden so it didn’t upset him. But last night had been a particularly hard night. Yet he had remained outside her bedroom door and had not made a scene. Perhaps he was becoming stronger emotionally, but his nervous glances indicated he still had a ways to go.

  Gently stroking his arm, she said, “I was just sad because we couldn’t find a sponsor. But now we have one, so I’m okay. I’m more than okay.” She reached across and ruffled his hair. “I’m happy!”

  He ruffled hers in return. “Yeah! We’re both happy. Let’s dance some more.”

  She shook her head. “Finish eating. I’m going to go to my bedroom for a few minutes, so would you do the dishes tonight? You can watch TV when you’re done. But stay in the apartment, okay?”

  “Are we going to read? I want some more points.”

  “If you do a good job cleaning up, I’ll give you five bonus points.”

  His eyes lit up. “I like bonus points. And they count for Angry Birds, right?”

  “If that’s what you’d like. But eat the rest of your dinner first.”

  He glanced at her plate. “What about your meatballs?”

  “You can have them.”

  He rubbed his hands together in delight, “Ah, cloudy with a chance of meatballs,” he said imitating Flint Lockwood from the animated feature.

  “I’ll come back soon and see if you have earned the bonus points, okay?” Rain said.

  “Okay! I’ll earn them, Rain. I’ll do a good job.”

  Stroking his head, she said, “I know you will, Charlie. You always do.”

  She left him there, sliding the meatballs from her plate onto his. After walking into her bedroom, she closed the door and sat on her bed, sighing deeply.

  What Charlie had said about her crying last night was true. It had been a bad week, and she was deeply discouraged. Having many of her sponsors unexpectedly drop out was reason enough for despair. She wanted Charlie to understand that. He needed to know the reason for her tears because she didn’t want him to worry. But there was more to it than that. Despite the wonderful news about finding a sponsor, she carried a sadness that was buried deeply within. And that was the part she couldn’t—wouldn’t—explain.

  A painful anniversary was approaching, and it always brought her emotions close to the surface. She’d held back the tears for days, but last night everything had finally caught up with her. She’d cried until she drifted off in a dreamless sleep of exhaustion. As a result, she’d barely been able to drag herself into work this morning.

  And just when she felt like she couldn’t endure another moment, Paul had shown up. Maria had called him an angel of mercy, and so he was. His visit and her subsequent meeting with his parents and Kaz had bordered on the miraculous. And she could still feel Paul’s touch when he had lifted her chin and congratulated her on finding a sponsor.

  She was ecstatic about the patronage, but her joy was offset by an inner battle that waged inside her. It was a battle that at times threatened to overwhelm her, especially at this time of year.


  Sighing once more, she went to the closet and reached for the shoebox. Cradling it under her arm, she made her way back to the bed. Her hand trembled as she removed the lid and looked inside. The shoebox was filled with photographs and several newspaper articles. Picking up the article on top, she glanced over it and then pressed it against her chest as her vision blurred. Sniffing back the tears, she reached for a second article and skimmed its contents. She set the articles aside and closed her eyes tightly in an effort to block more tears. Shuddering under the strain, she opened her eyes again and dabbed the corners with the back of her hand. Then she reached for a picture that was on top of the pile of photographs. It showed a man and a woman and two little children. They were smiling and stood close together. She studied the photograph intently as though trying to memorize every detail.

  Then she gathered everything into the shoebox and replaced the lid. She put the shoebox back on the top shelf and headed for the door, resting a hand on the doorknob momentarily. Wiping her cheeks one last time, she opened the door and called out, “Are you going to get the bonus points, Charlie?”

  The sound of hurried footsteps issued from the kitchen, followed by the unmistakable clanging of pots and pans.

  CHAPTER 20

  The promo feature for Super Saturday aired on the weekend, and on Monday morning the homeless shelter’s phones began ringing. Some callers wanted to donate items for the silent auction, and others had craft items to sell and were willing to turn over the profits. Some people volunteered to help run the events, and a few even offered to make a cash donation. The KNEX-TV promo feature, hosted by Paul, had added a stamp of legitimacy to the event, and the citizens of Seattle were responding.

  Rain could hardly contain herself. Her mood stood in sharp contrast to the way she had felt only days earlier. She found herself breathing easier, and for once her thoughts were not centered on money and program cutbacks. Nothing was guaranteed, of course, because the fundraiser still had to meet its objectives. But her spirits had been infused with a sense of hope, and optimism had replaced frustration and anxiety.

  Maria felt it, too, and poked her head in from her office after every few phone calls. She rubbed her hands in delight and went back into her office following each update, whispering words of gratitude under her breath.

  Paul arrived just before lunchtime, and Rain felt something deep and powerful stir inside her as she looked at him. Quickly running a hand through her hair, she wished she’d had advance notice of his visit.

  Maria emerged from her office and greeted him warmly. “Thank you, thank you, for the excellent promo you did for us, Paul. I want you to know how much we appreciate it. The sponsorship and your feature have given us a new lease on life.”

  “I’m glad I could help,” Paul replied.

  “You have a set of wings waiting for you come judgment day, I can tell you. It’s wonderful what you and your associates are doing.”

  “You’re welcome.” He patted his jacket pocket. “I brought something for the children. Especially for little Jayden.”

  Rain and Maria exchanged quick glances.

  “I’m sorry to have to tell you this, Paul,” Rain said softly, “but Jayden and his mother aren’t here anymore.”

  “They left?”

  “Last night. She was afraid her husband had tracked them down. They left so quickly that Jayden forgot to take his wooden toy horse.”

  “Where did they go?”

  “She wouldn’t tell us,” Maria replied sadly.

  “Will they come back?”

  Maria shook her head. “It’s doubtful. They’ll keep moving further and further away from Seattle.”

  Paul pulled the candy from his pocket and handed it to Rain. “I’m going to miss the little guy. Keep this for the other kids.”

  “We’re all going to miss him,” Rain replied. “He was such a bright light around here.”

  “Is there anything I can do?”

  “Pray for them,” Maria answered. “Sometimes that’s all we can do.”

  Paul nodded solemnly.

  “Thanks for the candy,” Rain said. “It was very thoughtful of you.” She reached in her desk drawer and pulled out the wooden toy horse that had been left behind. “This was Jayden’s. You can have it to remember him by.”

  “Thank you, I’d like that.” Paul took the figure and pursed his lips as he studied it. Then pocketing the wooden figure, he forced a smile and shook off his obvious disappointment at Jayden’s departure. “May I take you two ladies to lunch? There are a few details concerning the fundraiser I need to talk to you about.”

  Maria smiled appreciatively but shook her head. “Rain and I are on lunch duty today. The staff members take turns helping the volunteers at mealtimes.”

  “Why don’t you join us?” Rain said.

  “That’s a great idea,” Maria added.

  “We serve the meal first and eat when the guests have finished,” Rain explained. “Then we can talk afterward.”

  She studied his reaction. Serving lunch at a homeless shelter was probably something he had never done before. Undoubtedly he was used to fine dining and having people serve him. But working at Welcoming Hands today would give him a better chance to see how the facility operated. After all, he was the liaison between the shelter and the fundraiser’s sponsors.

  “Okay,” he said, shrugging good-naturedly. “What are we serving today?”

  “Chicken and dumplings,” Maria replied. “Most of the guests have limited palates, so we usually prepare simple fare that’s filling but not too spicy.”

  “I haven’t had chicken and dumplings in years. Mom used to make it all the time, but since—” He broke off and looked directly at Rain.

  Rain remembered Pricilla greeting her from a wheelchair and understood Paul’s meaning. There was a hint of nostalgia in his voice—an echo from better days gone by.

  “Come into the kitchen and we’ll get an apron on you,” Rain said, leading the way. As they walked, she explained: “We have good menus. Lasagna and pizza are popular. So are meatloaf and beef stew. Ethnic foods don’t go over too well, though, so we stick to the basics.”

  “We supplement meals with donated fruits and vegetables,” Maria added. “Several grocery stores have been kind that way. It really helps stretch our food budget money.”

  When they entered the kitchen, Charlie was standing at the stove, using a wooden spoon to stir the contents of one of two large metal pots. Several other people were at the island counter, mixing the batter and forming it into lumpy balls.

  “Hi, Rain,” Charlie said. “I get to stir.” He looked at Paul and broke out in a grin. “I remember you. You came here before.”

  “I remember you, too,” Paul said, cutting Rain a playful glance. He watched Charlie for a moment. “It looks like you’re doing a good job.”

  Charlie beamed proudly and then moved aside as the dumplings were added to the pots. “You have to keep the dumplings from sticking together,” he said, gently nudging them with the wooden spoon.

  “It smells delicious.”

  “Charlie’s a good stirrer,” Maria said. “He’s also a good dishwasher.”

  “Especially with the sprayer,” Paul said.

  Rain bit her lip to stifle a giggle. Then she grabbed an apron and tied it around Paul. “You’ll need this,” she said, noticing the scent of his aftershave.

  Paul took a step back and held out his hands, inviting a comment from her. “So how do I look?”

  “Like you’re ready to go to work,” she replied, unwilling to express the answer that first crossed her mind. Hot.

  “You look like me,” Charlie said, pointing to the apron he was wearing. “Do you want to stir, too?”

  “I’m sure I can’t do it as well as you,” Paul answered. “I’ll help with something else.”

  Rain motioned toward the vegetable platters that contained an arrangement of fresh carrots, celery, and broccoli. “We can carry these into t
he dining area and set one on each table. Then we’ll bring in the pots on a cart to the serving table.”

  “Let’s do it,” Paul said, grabbing two vegetable platters and heading for the dining area.

  The appearance of the food enticed the guests to begin migrating toward the tables.

  Paul and Rain made several more trips to and from the kitchen. As Paul placed the last platter on the table, he tipped it too far and several carrots rolled off. The young woman who had refused the candy during Paul’s first visit came up beside him. “I’ve got it,” she said, placing the carrots back on the platter.

  “Thanks,” Paul said.

  She nodded without smiling and continued working.

  Paul stepped over to Rain and whispered, “What’s her story?” Then he caught himself and said, “I know, I know. It’s confidential. But I bet it’s not a good one.”

  “She wouldn’t be here if it was,” Rain replied softly.

  They returned to the kitchen a final time, loaded the two pots onto a cart, and pushed the cart out to the serving table.

  Using oven mitts to handle the pots, Paul placed the steaming containers on the long table that ran parallel to the dining tables. He hovered momentarily over one of the pots, savoring the aroma. “Now what do I do?” he asked.

  “Dish up their bowls as the guests walk by,” Rain replied.

  “And remember to smile,” Maria added. “Sometimes volunteers look like they’re on an assembly line in a factory.” She immediately modeled her advice by cheerfully greeting each individual as they passed and asking how they were doing. She bantered with a few of them and gave compliments freely.

  The elderly man who did the woodcarvings made his way through the line. He grinned when he saw Paul. “Ah, the Candyman is back,” he said.

  Paul chuckled. “I am back, but today I’m Souperman.” He emphasizing Soup by ladling a hearty portion of chicken and dumplings into the elderly man’s waiting bowl.

  The man chuckled, grinning wide enough to reveal a row of surprisingly white teeth. “Thank you, young fellow,” he replied, pretending to doff his hat in appreciation.