Portrait of Love Read online

  She shuffled and blushed. “Thank you.”

  When it was time to go to the airport, they made sure the part-timers had everything under control. During the drive, Tony checked things off his list as he addressed them. “Just remember that you’ll be asked your opinion, and you need to be open and honest.”

  “I wouldn’t know how to be any other way,” she said.

  “Good.” He pulled up to the departure section of the terminal and popped his trunk.

  Once the curbside airline employee had her bag checked, she thanked him. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, Tony.”

  “It’s my job. Call if you need anything.”

  “I will.”

  He sat and watched her as she disappeared into the building. The security person gestured for him to leave the curb, so he obeyed. All the way to the studio, he thought about how professional yet stunning Mandy looked. No doubt in his mind, the people in the home office would be as impressed as he was. And she clearly had no idea of the impact she had on people, which made her even more appealing.

  Tony went straight back to work and relieved Steve, the part-time photographer who’d come in with the understanding he wouldn’t have to stay long. A couple of hours later, the counter employee stuck her head into his office and said her shift was over, so she was leaving. He juggled photographing clients with walk-ins. This gave Tony a taste of what Mandy had dealt with over the past couple of months.

  He’d finally finished up with the last proofs when the phone rang. It was Christina, sounding frantic.

  “I’ve tried to call Mandy’s cell phone, but it goes straight to voice mail.”

  “I’m sure she’s okay,” Tony said. “She probably just forgot to turn it on after her plane landed. Want me to give her a message?”

  “Mom’s in the hospital. She had a heart attack.”

  ten

  Tony didn’t waste a minute. As soon as he got the infor-mation, he called the Atlanta office. Uncle Ed’s executive assistant, Tony’s cousin Sharon, answered on the first ring.

  “It’s great to hear from you, Tony,” she said. “Dad—”

  “Is Mandy there yet?” he said.

  “That’s what I was trying to say. She’s in with Dad.” Her voice softened. “Why didn’t you tell me how pretty she is?”

  Tony cleared his throat. “I need to talk to her now.”

  “What’s wrong, Tony?”

  “Her mother had a heart attack. She’ll need to come back right away.”

  “Hold on. Let me go get her.”

  “Wait. Sharon, why don’t you get her and show her to the conference room—the one with the sofas? Then you can call me right back and put her on the phone.”

  “Good idea. I’ll go do that now.”

  ❧

  Mr. Rossi had sent a stretch limo to the airport to pick Mandy up. And here she was, sitting in his office, listening to the details of a job better than she ever imagined.

  Someone knocked on the door, and Mr. Rossi cleared his throat. “Yes?”

  Sharon, the woman from the front desk, walked in and offered Mandy a sweet smile. “I need to see Mandy for a moment, if you don’t mind.”

  “But we were—”

  Sharon interrupted him. “It’s important.”

  Mandy glanced over at the head of the company, who looked as perplexed as she felt. “Okay, if it’s that important, go ahead. I’ll be right here when you’re done with her.”

  “Follow me,” Sharon said. When they reached a room at the end of the long hall, she opened the door, switched on the light, and gestured inside. “Have a seat on the sofa over by the phone. I’ll be right back, okay?”

  “Um, sure,” Mandy said, doing as she was told.

  A moment later, Sharon was back. “Tony needs to talk to you, so let me get him on the phone.” Without another word, she reached over, punched in the number, and handed the phone to Mandy. “I’ll be out front when you’re done.”

  “Tony?” Mandy said as soon as he answered. “What was so important to pull me out of my meeting?”

  “Are you sitting down?” His voice was gravelly, unlike she’d ever heard it.

  “Yes.” Her heart suddenly started hammering in her chest. “What’s going on?”

  “Christina called. Your mother’s in the hospital. She had a heart attack about an hour ago.”

  Mandy gasped. “I have to come home.”

  “I know. Sharon’s booking your flight as we speak. I’ll talk to my uncle and reschedule your meeting for later.”

  Within seconds after she hung up, Sharon was at the door of the conference room with her coat and handbag. “The driver is out front waiting. I’ll ride with you to the airport.”

  “That’s okay,” Mandy said. “I’ll be fine.”

  “I’m going with you,” she insisted. “My dad’s giving me the rest of the day off, so I can make sure everything’s all set with the airline.”

  As Sharon coordinated the return trip, Mandy pulled out her cell phone, turned it on, and called her sister. “She’s doing a little better,” Christina said. “It was scary at first, though.”

  “Where was she?”

  “In the kitchen,” Christina said, her voice cracking. “I was arguing with her about needing to borrow her car, when she passed out.” She let out a sob. “It’s all my fault.”

  “It’s not your fault,” Mandy said.

  “If I hadn’t promised my friends I’d drive, none of this would have happened. Ashley said she’d pick me up, but I told her I could use Mom’s car.”

  “If you’d left, Mom might have passed out without you there to call the paramedics,” Mandy reminded her.

  “I didn’t think about it like that. At any rate, I need to go back in the room. Dad’s coming out, and I think he needs some coffee or something.”

  “Tell Mom I love her, and I’ll be there soon.”

  After she clicked the off button, Mandy blinked. Her body was numb and she stared straight ahead.

  As soon as the limo driver had all the bags and got into the driver’s seat, Sharon took Mandy’s hands. “Let’s say a prayer.”

  Mandy bowed her head and listened to Sharon’s soothing words of petition for her mother’s healing and a safe trip back to West Virginia. When she opened her eyes, Mandy looked into Sharon’s kind eyes.

  “Thank you.”

  Sharon squeezed her hands. “Tony told us you were a Christian. Dad was relieved, since we like our management team to be of like mind. Faith in Christ has gotten my family through some trying times.”

  Mandy swallowed hard. “Yes, me, too.”

  To Mandy’s surprise and relief, Sharon got out of the car, checked Mandy’s bags at the curb, and walked her as far as she was allowed. She handed Mandy an envelope, leaned over, and gave her a hug. “We’ll keep a prayer vigil going in the office. Let us know if there’s anything we can do.”

  After Mandy found her gate, she opened the envelope and saw her boarding pass and a couple hundred dollars cash with a note to use it for incidentals. The folks at Small World were nicer and more generous than she ever realized before. Everywhere Mandy turned, she saw the Lord’s gracious hand. Tears once again sprang to her eyes.

  Lord, I pray that You spare my mother and show me how to let go of my need to make things like I want them. Your ways are so much greater than anything I’ll ever think of on my own.

  She opened her eyes, shoved the envelope into her purse, and pulled out her cell phone to call her dad. He explained that her mother’s heart attack wasn’t a complete surprise to him because she’d been having heart issues for a while. Mandy listened as he told her how her mom wanted to keep this a secret in order not to worry her and Christina. After she hung up, she sat there in stunned silence until she heard the announcement that her plane was ready for passengers.

  Mandy was one of the last people to board, so she was stuck having to climb over the person who’d chosen the aisle seat in her row. But once
she was buckled in, she closed her eyes and tried to shut out everything around her.

  The flight was miserable as Mandy imagined all sorts of scenarios she might encounter when she got back. She prayed that her sister was right about their mom doing better.

  After the plane arrived, and she walked out into the terminal, she saw Tony at the closest point security would allow. He extended a hand to take her carry-on bag then placed his hand in the small of her back to guide her toward baggage claim.

  “I’ll take you straight to the hospital,” he said. “And I can stay as long as you need me.”

  “That’s okay. You have a studio to run.”

  “It’s covered.” His tone was firm but kind. “Family has always come first with me, and I understand what you’re going through.”

  Mandy didn’t know what to say. However, she wondered what he meant by understanding what she was going through.

  She didn’t have to wait long to find out. Once they had her bags in the car, he opened up.

  “Both of my parents have had health issues. My dad passed away when I was younger, but he’d been sick for a very long time. My mother broke down after he died, and she hasn’t been the same since. Uncle Ed was the one who lifted the family. His faith kept him focused, and that’s why I see the only way to true joy and contentment in life is through Christ.”

  “I had no idea,” Mandy said softly. “I mean, I understand the part about faith in Christ, but I didn’t know about your parents.”

  He offered a gentle smile. “There was no way for you to know until I told you. Now let’s pray for your mom.”

  Mandy closed her eyes as Tony asked for strength for her family and healing for her mother. By the time he finished praying, any sliver of doubt she ever had about him had vanished. Tony was a true believer who genuinely cared about others.

  Mandy studied Tony’s profile as he drove. When he stopped for a red light, he turned and offered a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry this is happening, but she’s in very good hands.”

  “I know. Thank you for all you’re doing.”

  “Would you like to hear some unrelated good news?”

  Mandy nodded. “Yes, good news is always welcome.”

  “Everything checked out with Christina, and we can hire her. I just wanted to make sure you were one hundred percent okay with it.”

  “Why wouldn’t I be?” The reservations Mandy had earlier had faded.

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. I just wanted to make sure you felt like she’d be a good fit for the office.”

  “She’s good with people.” Mandy thought back to one of the babysitting jobs they’d shared and how the little ones adored her sister. Deep down, Christina was a good person. Mandy now realized that part of her sister’s immaturity had been caused by how the family had treated her. “Kids like her.”

  “That’s important,” he said.

  Mandy turned back and faced the road as she thought about how much impact Tony had had on her life in such a short time. Her irritation over his sudden arrival had faded.

  He pulled up in front of the hospital. “I’ll let you out here. After I park the car, I’ll join you. Your mother’s room is in the cardiac unit on the second floor.” He touched her arm and looked at her with a tenderness that showed his sincerity.

  “Thanks,” she whispered as she got out.

  ❧

  Tony thought about the irony of the situation. Mandy had to return home because her mother’s heart was failing, and when he picked her up at the gate, just seeing her made his heart pump harder than a sprint.

  He parked the car, jogged to the hospital entrance, and took the elevator to the second floor. The nurse on duty advised him that since he wasn’t family, he couldn’t go into Mrs. Pruitt’s room. He knew that, so he was prepared to wait as long as it took for Mandy to visit with her mother.

  Christina appeared a few minutes after he sat down. “Hey,” she said. “Thanks for picking my sister up at the airport.”

  “No problem,” he said. “I wanted to do it. So how’s your mother doing?”

  “Stable—at least for now.” Christina’s chin quivered. “When she dropped to the floor, I had no idea what was happening. I wish she’d told us she had a heart problem.”

  “She probably didn’t want to worry her girls,” Tony said. “I’m glad she’s stable.”

  “I talked to the doctor about how I thought I might have caused her heart attack.” Christina looked him in the eye as she paused. “He said the same thing you and Mandy did. It’s a good thing I was there to call 911.”

  As silence fell between them, Tony noticed Christina fidgeting with anything she touched. She picked at a loose thread on her sleeve, then she peeled one of her fingernails. He decided to give her the news.

  “Looks like we might have an offer for you soon,” he said. “You did quite well on the test.”

  Her eyebrows went up. “I did?”

  He nodded. “We have a few more things to do, but it looks good.”

  Christina’s face lit up with a smile, then she slowly looked at the floor as the corners of her lips turned downward. “Does my sister know this?”

  “Yes, she knows.”

  “And she doesn’t mind?”

  “Of course not. In fact, she pointed out that you’re very good with children, which I’m sure you know is a plus.”

  She looked back up and into his eyes as a smile slowly spread over her lips. “Thank you, Tony. I’m sure this will be good for my mother’s heart.”

  “Maybe,” he said, “but don’t take responsibility for causing her heart attack. I’m sure you had nothing to do with it.”

  “I guess we’ll find out soon.”

  “Why don’t we say a prayer?”

  Christina swallowed hard then nodded. “Good idea.”

  They’d just lifted their heads when Mandy rounded the corner and joined them. Tony stood up. “How’s she doing?”

  “Mom seems to be in good spirits, considering all the tubes in her arms and machines everywhere.” Mandy hugged Christina. “I’m so glad you were there, or she might not have made it.”

  Tony took a step back to give the sisters some space. He wanted to be there if needed but not get in the way.

  When Mandy glanced in his direction, he felt his pulse quicken. “Would you mind taking me home so I can change clothes? Since Mom’s resting, I figured this would be a good time.”

  “I’ll be glad to,” he said. He turned to Christina. “You have both of our cell phone numbers, right?”

  She nodded. “If anything happens, I’ll call right away.”

  ❧

  Mandy thanked Tony as he placed her bags by the door. “I should be able to come to work tomorrow if you need me.”

  “No. I made the schedule thinking you’d be at the home office, so you don’t have to come in. You need to be with your family.” He touched her cheek with the back of his hand but quickly pulled away. Mandy was again comforted by his presence and understanding of what she was going through.

  After he left, she lowered her head and sent up a prayer of thanks—for her mother surviving the heart attack, for her sister being there, and for Tony’s support. She changed out of her interview outfit and into more comfortable clothes. Then she made some sandwiches for her dad, her sister, and herself before heading for the hospital. On the way, she called her sister’s cell phone.

  “How’s she doing?” she asked.

  “She’s napping right now,” Christina said. “I’m worried about Dad. He’s terribly distraught. I think he blames himself.”

  “I’ve been doing that, too,” Mandy said. “We have to stop blaming ourselves. Instead, we should be thankful for the blessing of Mom surviving and getting the medical care she needs.”

  “They’re planning to do an angioplasty soon. Oh, wait a minute. The doctor just came out, and he wants to talk to me.”

  “I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

  After they hung
up, Mandy focused on her driving. She wanted to hear what the doctor had to say, so once she found a parking spot, she ran to the hospital entrance. By the time she reached the second floor cardiac unit, she was out of breath. Fortunately, the doctor was still talking to her sister and dad.

  The man in the white coat turned to her with a smile and extended his hand. “Dr. Jacobs,” he said. “Your mother is fortunate to have had your sister right there with her. It was touch and go for a while, but I think we’ve got her stabilized enough with medications to do the procedure.”

  He explained how he planned to unblock a couple of her clogged arteries. “She’ll be here for a week or so, depending on how well she does, and after she goes home, she’ll need to take it easy for a while. Does she have someone there to take care of her?”

  Mandy glanced at Christina, who nodded. Then she thought about the job. “We both work for Small World Portrait Studio, so I think we can arrange our schedules to make sure someone is here at all times.”

  Christina’s eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to say something. Mandy gestured for her to keep quiet for now.

  eleven

  After the doctor answered their questions, Christina turned to Mandy. “I got the job for sure?”

  “I think so.”

  Christina settled back in her chair with a smile on her face. “Mom will be so happy about that. Now she and Dad won’t have to worry about me, and I can find a place of my own so they can have peace and quiet again.”

  “Can you stay with them until Mom can get up and around again?” Mandy asked.

  “Of course.” Christina shook her head. “I’d never leave them stranded.”

  “I know.” Mandy placed her hand on her sister’s shoulder. “I’m so happy you’re back. Everything is going to be just fine.”

  “I still feel like this is all my fault,” Christina said.

  “It’s not your fault.” Mandy gave Christina’s shoulder a gentle squeeze.

  “Thanks for trying to make me feel better, but I feel so guilty about arguing with her. If I had known. . .”

  Mandy shook her head. “Mom hasn’t felt good in years. On the way here, I talked to Dad and found out that she’s been seeing a cardiologist since before you left. He recom-mended surgery a long time ago, but she was scared, so he prescribed some medication, hoping it would improve her condition.”