Beach Rental(96)

“I’m serious, Adela. Unless you want to be responsible for the accident I’ll have speeding over to the Glory, promise me you’ll wait with Pat.”

“The Glory? What are you talking about? Why should I—”

“I’m serious, Adela. Wait there for me.” He hung up, not allowing her to continue fighting him. He was pretty sure, no matter how irrational she could be, since Juli wasn’t even home, Adela would wait with Pat until he arrived.

Was she here because he’d called to tell her about Ben’s unborn child? He didn’t regret telling her. How could she not be told? But he wished he’d managed it with more finesse, had found better words to help her understand without flying off the handle.

Luke stopped at the entrance to Juli’s driveway. She must still be out because her car wasn’t there. He drove a short distance further and parked on the roadside a couple of houses down, hoping Juli wouldn’t spot his vehicle. He jogged down the asphalt, noting Pat’s car and a rental that had to be Adela’s. He ascended the side stairs, two steps at a time.

Pat opened the door before he knocked. Adela was in his face as he crossed the threshold.

“Why are you protecting her? She took advantage of Ben. She took everything he had and now she’s having someone’s baby. This is preposterous.”

“It’s Ben’s baby.”

“I want a DNA test. If this child isn’t Ben’s, I’m going to sue her for everything she stole from him. It’s too late to protect Ben, but I won’t let her get away with this. She can’t buy me off with college funds.”

“There won’t be a DNA test and there won’t be a lawsuit.”

She paced to the kitchen and back again, swinging her arms. The elegantly tailored suit and pumps were at odds with her demeanor. “You can’t tell me what to do. Not this time.”

“Think about this, Adela. Think. This baby will be the only niece or nephew you’ll ever have. The only cousin your children will ever have.”

“I have considered it, that’s why—”

He interrupted her deliberately and rudely, “Then think about what you’re going to lose. If you push for a DNA test or even question the paternity, it won’t matter whose child this is because you will never have a part in its life. Not you, not your children. Juli will never give you another chance to hurt her. And even if she’s willing to risk her feelings with you again, she’ll never risk subjecting her child to your kind of loving.”

Adela froze. “What’s wrong with my kind of loving?”

It nearly broke his heart to see her look so stricken, but at least she was silent and he had her attention.

“Sit down.” He took her arm and led her to the couch. She walked stiffly and stayed rigid as they sat. Close beside her, he held her hands tightly in his. “You are ruled by your emotions. You need to listen to your heart. Listen before you act.”

Adela shook her head. “You sound foolish. You sound like Ben. What does the heart know? It’s not emotion that drives me. It’s reality.”

“It’s your effort to control reality that drives you, not because you want to hurt anyone, but because you want to avoid scary and painful emotions.”

“What do you know about it?” She tried to shake his hands free, but he refused to release her. Finally, she stilled. “I’m sorry. I know you were hurt by Helen and, again, by losing Ben.”

Pat had left them. Luke saw her through the front window, standing on the porch. He appreciated her discretion. He spoke softly to Adela. “You can’t control people or events even if you mean well in the attempt.”

This time she shook off his hands. “What am I supposed to do, then? Sit by and watch my loved ones hurt themselves? Sit back while others hurt them?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve lost your mind.”

“Adela, you’ve got to take the risk. You can’t control anything, not even what happens to you. You have to have faith.”

“Now, you really do sound like Ben. Faith?”

“Faith that all will be well. Maybe not the way you want it to be, maybe sometimes painful, but in the end, Adela, sometimes in the end it comes out better, or resolves in unexpected ways we can’t foresee, but in ways that are a blessing. I apologize for saying it this way. We both know I haven’t practiced what I’m about to preach, but you have to give up control and put it into God’s hands. That’s the kind of faith I’m talking about. Listen to your heart and you’ll know what I’m saying is the truth.”

The front door hinges squeaked and they both jumped, startled. Pat had opened the door to let Maia inside and entered with her.