Phoebe watched him drink the coffee, the smell of which wafted her way as she took a sip of her tea.
Quiet minutes later he asked, “How long were you on my doorstep?’
“I don’t know. I left home around four.”
“It’s after seven now.” His tone was incredulous. “You’ve been waiting that long?”
“I fell asleep.”
The tension left his face. “That’s pretty easy to do in your condition.”
“I can’t seem to make it without a nap after teaching all day.”
“Teaching?”
“I teach at Fillmore Primary School. Grade Five.”
He seemed as if he was trying to remember something. “That’s right. JT said you were going to school to be a teacher.”
At the mention of Joshua they both looked away.
He spoke more to his coffee cup than to her. “I was sorry to hear about Joshua.”
“Me, too.” He and Joshua were supposed to have been best buddies and that was all he had to say. This guy was so distant he acted as if he’d barely known Joshua. She wouldn’t be getting any help or friendship from him.
He looked at her then as if he was unsure about what he might have heard. “Is there something you need from me?”
Phoebe flinched at his directness. Not anymore. She needed to look elsewhere. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected from him but this wasn’t it. Joshua’s letter had assured her that Ryan Matthews would do anything to help her but this man’s attitude indicated he wasn’t interested in getting involved.
“To tell you the truth, I’m not sure. You were a friend of Joshua’s and I just thought …”
“And what did you think? Do you need money?”
“Mr. Matthews, I don’t need your money. I have a good job and Joshua’s widow and orphans’ pension.”
“Then I can’t imagine what I can do for you, unless you need someone to deliver your baby?”
“Why would I come to you for that?”
“Because I’m a midwife.”
“I thought he said you were a medic.”
“I was in the army but now I work as a midwife. I still don’t understand why you’re here. If you need someone to deliver your baby you need to come to the Prenatal Clinic during office hours.”
“I already have one. Sophia Toulson.”
His brows drew together. “She’s leaving soon. Did she send you here?”
She lowered her head.
Had he heard her say, “I just needed a friend, I guess.” A friend?
He couldn’t believe that statement. What kind of person showed up at a stranger’s house, asking them to be their friend? Surely she had family and friends in town. Why would she come looking for him now? After all this time. She said she didn’t need money so what did she want from him?
“Where’s the father of the baby?”
Phoebe sat straighter and looked him directly in the eyes. “Joshua is the father of the baby.”
“When …?”
“When he was last home on leave. I wrote to him about the baby but he was …” she swallowed hard “… gone by then.” She placed the cup in the crack between the cushions, unable to bend down far enough to put it on the floor. Pushing herself to a standing position, she said, “I think I’d better go.”
He glanced out the window. The rain had picked up and the wind was blowing stronger. He huffed as he unfolded from the chair. “I’ll drive you home.”
“That’s not necessary. I can catch the tram.”
“Yeah, but you’ll get wet getting there and from it to your house. I’ll drive you. Where’s home?”
Despite his tough exterior, she liked his voice. It was slow, deep and rich. Maybe a Texan or Georgian drawl. “I live in Box Hill.”
“That’s out toward Ferntree Gully, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Let’s go.”
He sounded resigned to driving her instead of being helpful. This Ryan Matthews didn’t seem to care one way or another. Had Joshua gotten him wrong or had Ryan changed?
“If you insist.”
“I do.” He was already heading toward the door.
“Then thank you.”
This trip to see Ryan had been a mistake on a number of levels. But she had learned one thing. She was definitely alone in the world.
Forty-five minutes later, Ryan pulled onto a tree-lined street with California bungalow-style houses. The lights glowing in the homes screamed warmth, caring and permanency, all the things that he didn’t have in his life, didn’t want or deserve.
Since they’d left his place Phoebe hadn’t tried to make conversation. She’d only spoken when giving him directions. He was no closer than he’d been earlier to knowing what she wanted.
“Next left,” she said in a monotone.
He turned there she indicated.
“Last house on the right. The one with the veranda light on.”
Ryan pulled his car to the curb. He looked at her house. It appeared well cared-for. A rosebush grew abundantly in the front yard. An archway indicated the main door. The only light shining was the one over it.
“Is anyone expecting you?”
“No.”
“You live by yourself?”
“Yes. Did you think I lived with my parents?”
“I just thought since Joshua was gone and you were having a baby, someone would be nearby. Especially as close as you’re obviously getting to the due date.”
“No, there’s no one. My parents were killed in an auto accident the year before I married. My only brother had moved to England two years before that. We were never really close. There is a pretty large age difference between us.” The words were matter-of-fact but she sounded lost.
“Surely someone from Joshua’s family is planning to help out?”
“No.”
“Really? Why not?”
“If you must know, they didn’t want him to marry me. They had someone else picked out. Now that he’s gone, they want nothing more to do with me.”
“That must have been hard to hear.”
“Yeah. It hurt.” Her tone said she still was having a hard time dealing with that knowledge. He couldn’t imagine someone not wanting to have anything to do with their grandchild.
“Not even the baby?”