His Unexpected Family by Patricia Johns Page B

easy.”
    “I could see that.”
    “I realized something was wrong when she called me to take her grocery shopping, and when I arrived, she’d completely forgotten. I mean, completely. She demanded to know why everyone was trying to make her feel bad all the time. I got her a doctor’s appointment for the next week.” Greg tapped two sugar packets against his palm, then tore them open. “A couple of years ago, she had to come to this nursing home. We couldn’t take care of her anymore. Not safely.”
    “Was she mad?” Emily asked.
    “Furious.” He shot her a grin. “My mother always was a tough woman, and when she was angry, she was a force of nature.”
    Emily laughed softly. “I know the type.”
    “But she’d lock herself outside, wander around her neighborhood in her nightgown. It wasn’t safe anymore.”
    “That has to be hard.”
    The spoon clinked against the side of Greg’s cup as he stirred. “Well, you do what you have to.”
    Late-afternoon sunlight poured through the window, warming her arms despite the air-conditioning. Emily took a sip of her sweet, icy drink.
    “Your mom seems like a neat lady.”
    Greg smiled. “She is. She doesn’t know me anymore, though.”
    “I’m sure she never thought she’d live to forget her child.” Emily looked into Greg’s sad face. He nodded slowly.
    “I really appreciate your help today.”
    “You’ve been doing this alone, haven’t you?” she asked.
    He chuckled. “Am I that obvious?”
    She shrugged. “You’re that kind of guy. Capable. Responsible. Stubborn.”
    He shot her a grin at her last descriptor. “I guess I’ve always been the one people came to for help.” He lifted his cup to his lips. “Being chief of police around here plays into it.”
    “So who do you lean on?” she asked.
    “God.”
    She smiled at that. “Which human being, then?”
    Greg shook his head. “I take care of it myself.”
    “Everyone needs someone to lean on.”
    He was silent for a long moment, then smiled. “I suppose one day I’ll find someone to rely on. Can’t say I’d ever lean on her, though. But it would be nice to share things.”
    “She might end up being stronger than you think,” Emily said with a soft laugh.
    “Everyone is strong if they have to be,” he agreed. “But I need to be the strong one. I just can’t seem to help my mom.” He sighed. “Sometimes being the strong one isn’t enough. Sometimes that just scares her.”
    “And you hate having someone else help her when you can’t.”
    He smiled. “Normally, yes, but it’s different with you.”
    “How?”
    “You’re—” he paused, shrugged “—hard to resent.”
    Emily burst out laughing. “That’s a good thing.”
    He nodded. “Definitely.”
    The waitress came by with a pot of hot coffee. She tucked her pad of paper into her apron and lifted the pot.
    “Warm you up, Chief?” she asked.
    Greg lifted his cup for a refill.
    “You want pie? Cake?” she asked as she poured.
    “This place has the best cherry cheesecake. Have you had it?” Greg asked, fixing Emily with a mischievous smile.
    Emily shook her head. “Not yet.”
    “Could we get two pieces?” Greg asked, holding up two fingers.
    “We only have one piece left,” she said with a wink. “But don’t worry—I’ll bring two forks.”
    Before they could object, the waitress whisked away from the table, heading across the café to another table, her coffeepot held aloft.
    Greg chuckled and shook his head. “It’s worth it. You’ll love this cheesecake.”
    The bell above the door tinkled, and Greg turned to see who came inside. He raised a hand in a wave.
    “This is Benny, one of the officers at the station.”
    “Hi, Chief,” the big man said with a grin. He ambled over to where they sat and pulled up a chair. “Hey, it’s Sweet pea.”
    Emily grinned as he bent over the car seat and made a face for Cora’s benefit. “Hi there, Sweet pea,” he crooned. “You’re looking good, kiddo.