Tender Vow Read Online Free PDF Page A

away.”
    “Tom, for goodness’ sake,” his mom said.
    Jason put his hands on the table and pushed back his chair. Standing, he moved his gaze from one to the other. “She doesn’t want to see me because she blames me. That’s the bottom line, isn’t it? Do you think I’m to blame, too? You never have been straight with me whenever I’ve asked.”
    A tight gasp escaped his mom’s throat. His dad sat and stared, his mouth agape. “Tom,” Donna whispered. “Tell your son that you don’t blame him.”
    Silence filled a five-second gap. “He can’t, Mom, because he’d be lying.”
    “Now, listen here, son,” Tom said.
    “What do you want from me, Dad?” Jason felt his anger rise higher than a gushing hot spring. He swallowed, feeling the tension slide down his throat and drop like a rock into his chest. Tears hid behind his eyes. “The police questioned me, and I told them how it all went down. Do you have something to ask me? Because, if you do, I’d like to hear it.”
    “Stop it, both of you,” his mom said, sorrow seeping out from her tone, moistness brimming in both eyes.
    “I’m sorry, Dad.” Jason’s voice went soft. “Sorry I took John skiing that day, sorry he took Devil’s Run, sorry he didn’t have the experience to handle the icy conditions. Does it make you feel any better that I begged him not to do it? I stood there at the top of the slope and pleaded with him not to do it, but he refused to listen. He went anyway, Dad.” He thumped his chest. “How do you think that makes me feel?”
    His dad’s chin quivered. “There was something different about that night, though, wasn’t there?” he said in a shaky tone.
    Jason had no idea what his dad was insinuating, so he shook his head. “I’m not having this conversation.” He moved around the table and bent to kiss his mom’s cheek. It was wet, and he hated himself for making it so. “Thanks for the birthday dinner, Mom. It was great.”
    “I love you, son.”
    “I love you, Mom. Dad.”
    Like a poker stick, Tom Evans sat, refusing even to say good-bye.
    -
    Rachel felt relieved—she’d finally succeeded in getting both kids down for their naps. After church, she’d fed them, read to Meagan with Johnny on her lap, and later set Meagan up in her room with her dolls and some favorite toys so she could accomplish a few jobs around the house, albeit with Johnny on her hip and Meagan calling frequently for her attention. “Mommy, this broke.” “Mommy, I can’t do this.” “Mommy, come see!” With every appeal, her voice grew crankier, and Rachel’s patience grew shorter. By the time both children had been tucked in, she felt jittery and crabby.
    Lord, I need strength to do this job—divine strength.
    Rest. The word rang like a crystal bell.
    “I can’t rest,” she murmured. The living room lay in shambles, with toys scattered across the floor, several pairs of sandals and shoes stacked up at the door, clothes draped over the sofa, and children’s books tossed about. In the sink, a week’s worth of soiled dishes were waiting to be washed, but first she had to find the time to put away the clean ones.
    Rest? She barely knew the meaning of the word. Yet, her mind and body ached from exhaustion.
    With the strength of a jellyfish, she pushed a couple of dolls off the sofa and fell into its cloudlike softness. She would close her eyes for five minutes. That’s all she needed—just five uninterrupted minutes.
    ***
    He knew she was home because she’d parked her minivan outside the garage. The garage door was open, and anyone driving past could have seen that the space needed a good cleaning. Rachel probably had no idea what to do with half of John’s stuff. In fact, it looked like pretty much everything Rachel owned was stored in that two-car space. It irked him when people did that—used their garages for something other than their cars. He pulled up behind her van and cut the engine, allowing his arms to sag over