Second Chance Dad by Roxanne Rustand

he’d looked at Eli, and knew he was imagining another child in Eli’s place.
    Maybe bringing her son here had reopened old wounds, but Josh had more to deal with than just his physical damage, and she’d learned long ago that facing problems was a lot more effective than hiding from them.
    Somewhere, beneath that protective shell of his, there was a warmer, much happier man. And by the time she was done with his physical therapy, she wanted to set him free.

Chapter Eight
    W hen Sophie walked into the Pine County Home Health Office on Monday morning, she expected trouble. And sure enough, she found a note from Grace Dearborn on the clipboard holding her printed schedule for the week.
    With such a small staff, there were informal meetings on Friday mornings to discuss clients and concerns.
    But this note requested an individual meeting, which meant Grace had probably received Josh’s phone message and wasn’t very happy.
    Worrying at her lower lip, she gathered the equipment, supplies and charts that she would need for the day and stowed them in her duffel bag. Then she headed for Grace’s corner office at the back.
    As usual, the older woman appeared to be nearly buried in an avalanche of paperwork and file folders on her desk. She raised her eyebrows when Sophieknocked lightly on her open door. “Come in, have a seat. Pardon the mess—I’m in the middle of writing grants to try to bring in more money for our programs.”
    All but one chair was piled with folders, so Sophie took the empty chair closest to her desk.
    Grace wearily closed the folder in front of her. “So, how is everything going?”
    Since Grace regularly reviewed the client charts, which were kept here in the office when not checked out to someone making a home visit, and was always attentive at the Friday meetings, she probably had a very good idea. But Sophie quickly summarized the status of her current caseload anyway.
    â€œI’ve been really pleased with your progress with Josh McLaren,” Grace said. “Six visits out at his place—which is five more than our last therapist managed.”
    â€œHe wasn’t very cooperative at first, as you know. But he’s doing well.”
    â€œAnd yet he left a message for me, saying he was ending his therapy. Why?”
    â€œHe still has issues about his accident and the family he lost. He did tell me that he’d called you. But, he had second thoughts after I talked to him over the weekend.”
    â€œHe told you about the accident.”
    â€œNot in great detail. Just that he feels guilty aboutnot avoiding a drunk driver, and believes he should have been able to save his pregnant wife.”
    Grace nodded. “They were on vacation, celebrating her graduation from seminary earlier that month. Their car ended up in a ravine not far from here and burst into flames on impact. Josh was thrown from the car, but she was trapped inside.”
    Sophie suddenly felt faint, imagining the horror. “He said…‘God didn’t bother to step in to help.’”
    â€œI imagine he’s been wrestling with a lot of issues since then. The other driver was unhurt, though two people in his car died. Apparently he was still screaming at Josh when the highway patrol and ambulance arrived, throwing drunken accusations about how it had been Josh’s fault. But the skid marks and damage on the cars proved otherwise.”
    â€œThat sounds like a nightmare.”
    â€œSince he gave you some of the information, I thought you might want to know the rest. He’s a troubled man, Sophie. He left his job at a hospital in Chicago and bought that secluded place far back in the timber, just wanting to be alone. I see a man who needs help, but hasn’t been willing to accept it.”
    â€œHe did agree to continue seeing me. After some discussion, anyway.”
    â€œGood, good. Do everything you can, Sophie.”
    Grace reopened the