I Promise

by Robin Jones Gunn

“I’ll make sure I don’t schedule myself for anything during the next eight weekends,” Todd said.

  Christy leaned forward. “Just promise me you won’t schedule anything for the weekend of May twenty-second. That weekend definitely is booked.”

  “Got it on my calendar.”

  Christy looked at him skeptically. “Do you even own a calendar?”

  Todd shrugged. “No, just the one on the back of my checkbook. But I circled May twenty-second on that calendar.”

  Christy laughed. A few months ago she might have cried; now she laughed.

  Todd watched her laugh with a settled look on his face. “Why did I think we could pull this off in January?”

  Christy laughed more. “Sometimes I wish we had pulled it off in January. We would be married now.”

  “But a rushed wedding wouldn’t have been as special as the one you’re making for us,” Todd said.

  “Do you want to talk about a few of the wedding details?” Christy asked. “It would be good for us to make a couple of decisions tonight, especially since you’re going to be gone this weekend.”

  “Sure. Like what?”

  “Tuxes.”

  “Okay, let’s go look at tuxes.”

  “Now?” Christy asked.

  “Sure, why not?”

  “Why not?” Christy echoed.

  With a few more quick bites of dinner, Todd and Christy left the cafeteria, jumped into their Volvo, and drove down the hill to Burton’s Tuxedo Shop. Todd hummed as he drove.

  Christy reached over and gave his arm three squeezes. “Hey, you’re getting pretty muscular there.” Todd raised his eyebrows. “Never underestimate the power of moving a paintbrush up and down a wall all day.”

  Christy grinned and gave his arm another squeeze. He flexed and she laughed, remembering how her dad used to invite Christy and David to each grab on to his arm muscles when they were little. Her dad would then flex both arm muscles like a strong man and lift them off the ground.

  “You’re my hero,” Christy said sweetly.

  Now Todd laughed. “Need any bars of steel bent? Any tall buildings you want me to leap over?”

  “No,” Christy said firmly. “Just stand still and let the guy measure you when we get to this tux shop.”

  “Got it.” Todd went back to humming a song Christy didn’t recognize.

  “What is that? I’ve heard you hum it before.”

  “It’s a song I’ve been working on. I’ll sing it for you sometime.”

  “Sing it now,” Christy said.

  Todd flashed her a big smile. “Naw, it’s better with the guitar. Just wait. I’ll sing it for you one day. I promise.”

  They entered Burton’s Tuxedo Shop hand in hand with Todd still humming. The man who stood behind the counter seemed reluctant to take them seriously. Christy guessed it was because of how Todd looked. They sat down and began to look through the book of selected styles.

  On the fifth page, Todd said, “That’s it. That’s the one. What do you think, Christy?”

  She thought she would like to look at the rest of the pages and then go back and look at them again before deciding.

  “It’s nice. It’s basic. The classic tux,” Todd said. “I think this is the one. What do you think?”

  “It’s nice.”

  “So we can go with this one?”

  “Sure.” Christy hadn’t seen anything she particularly liked on the preceding pages, and she reminded herself Todd would be the one wearing the tux, after all. He should be the one to decide what he wanted to wear.

  “Sir?” Todd called across the room. “Would you mark the Spencer-Miller party down for five of these?” Christy covered her mouth with her hand. Having just gone through several formal meetings over the weekend with her mom and aunt, Christy thought Todd’s way of handling things was atrocious. He sounded as if he were ordering five tacos to go. “It’s five, right?” Todd asked.

  Christy uncovered her mouth. “Six. My dad decided to wear a tux after all. I don’t know if Uncle Bob wants to wear the same style.”

  “Sir?” Todd hollered to the man behind the counter. “Could you make that seven?”

  “Todd, why don’t we just go over there and talk to him,” Christy suggested.

  They filled out the paper work. Todd put down a deposit. Then the store clerk asked Todd to stand in front of the mirrors so he could be measured. Todd stretched out his arms and fortunately kept his comments to a minimum.

  Within ten minutes the process was complete, and they were back on the road to school. Christy wondered if some of Todd’s carefree approach to life would rub off on her after they were married.

  Until that happened, she still had some less-than-carefree topics to discuss with him, starting with the wedding party. They stopped at an ice-cream shop on their way back to campus and ate at a corner table.

  Todd didn’t seem to grasp the problem of having four groomsmen while Christy only had two attendants. “I don’t think it should matter if the sides are uneven.”

  “It matters to me,” Christy said. “I should ask two other friends to stand with me.” She thought about whom she would ask. It had been so simple when it was just Katie and Tracy. Neither she nor Todd had any sisters or close cousins to include.

  “I could ask Doug and Rick just to be ushers. They wouldn’t have to stand with me,” Todd said.

  “No, I don’t think the answer is to uninvite any of the men. It would be better if I chose two more women. The only problem is I don’t really have any other friends I’m especially close to, or at least close enough to ask them to be in our wedding. Sierra is the only one I can think of, and I wouldn’t feel right asking her now. She would know she was an afterthought.”

  Christy had always been a one-best-friend kind of person. Paula had been that best friend all the way through elementary and junior high. The two of them always said they would be each other’s bridesmaids; however, they had grown apart when Christy moved to California. Last summer Paula got married, and Christy received an invitation but wasn’t able to attend.

  Then she realized how much her year in Switzerland had chopped up her relationships. She had friends in Europe, but it was unlikely any of them could come to the wedding. Her first few years of college she had lived at home and attended a community college. She hadn’t developed any lasting friendships there. Her list of friends suddenly seemed very short.

  “Why don’t we mix the men and women on both sides?” Todd suggested. “I mean, it’s our wedding, right? We can do whatever we want. We could have my dad, Doug, and Tracy on my side, and then Katie, Rick, and David on your side.”

  Christy contemplated Todd’s suggestion. Once again, his unique way of looking at things opened a world of possibilities to her.

  “What do you think?” Todd asked.

  Christy had to smile, remembering when he had asked her that question as they shopped for engagement rings. With a big grin, Christy said, “What do I think? I think you kiss pretty good.”

  Todd seemed to appreciate her humor. He responded with one of her lines. “Do you want to talk mushy or business? I was asking about the wedding attendants.”

  With a playful grin Christy said, “Mushy, of course. But I’ll try to refrain myself and stick to business by saying that once again your clever random factor has saved the day by coming up with an unexpected solution to a problem that had my tidiness issues and me in a panic.”

  Todd laughed, scooped up her empty ice-cream cup, and carried it to the trash can at the other end of the ice-cream shop.

  Just then Christy noticed some students from Rancho coming in the door. Sierra was with them. Christy waved at her, and Sierra left her group to come over to talk to Christy.

  Sierra sat down in Todd’s empty chair. “I’m glad you’re here. I wanted to ask, when is your wedding date?”

  “May twenty-second.”

  “Good! I was hoping that was the day. I was accepted for the summer study program I told y
ou about. My flight leaves the next Saturday. I didn’t want to miss your wedding.”

  “Oh good. I’m glad you’ll be there,” Christy said.

  “Me too. I’ve also been meaning to thank you.” Sierra bent her head toward Christy.

  Christy noticed Todd was talking with the students who had come in with Sierra. She gave Sierra her full attention.

  “What you said to me at The Nest about being who God made me to be has really helped. Especially as I’ve prepared for this trip to Brazil.”

  “In a way, it helped me, too.” Christy was thinking about how she had discovered she was a lot like her aunt but how that had turned out to be a good thing when she realized God could fulfill His purpose for her exactly the way she was.

  “Well, it helped me a lot. And I started to think about what it is about you that makes me appreciate you so much.”

  Christy felt a little funny having Sierra shower her with such praise.

  “You know what you do?” Sierra asked. “You love people. Gently, calmly, with specific, kind attention, you make people feel welcome. You put people at ease that way, Christy. It’s a gift. I think God has given you the gift of hospitality as well as organization.”

  Christy took in Sierra’s words. “I don’t know about the hospitality part. I don’t exactly live in a place where I can do a lot of entertaining. I never have. And being married to Todd, I have a feeling a house with lots of guest rooms isn’t going to be in my future.”

  “Who needs a house? I’m talking about your heart. You have plenty of guest rooms there. And that’s what you do. You open your heart to people. You keep lovely little rooms in there, just waiting for your friends to come visit. People feel as if they can come right in, just as they are. You don’t entertain, you love. That’s what lasts. That’s why people like me feel as if I will always be your friend. You hold a special place for me in your heart.”

  Tears rolled down Christy’s cheeks faster than she could blink them away. “Thank you, Sierra. Thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me, thank God. He’s the One who gifted you the way He did.” Sierra flashed a bright, free-as-a-kite smile at Christy and hopped up from the chair. “It looks like those guys have already ordered. I better go. See you later.”

  Christy felt that a great life mystery had just been solved. She knew who she was, she knew how God had gifted her, and she felt peace coming over her like a cozy down comforter.

  Wherever Todd and I end up living, however I end up using this college degree, I now know what my life is about. I can love people. I am a woman of hospitality. A woman who loves.

  16 As the final weeks of Christy’s senior year slid past, her life seemed to fall into place. She felt her future was more defined. Sierra’s words about Christy’s spiritual gift being hospitality had opened up a world of understanding and possibilities to her. She liked being hospitable, and she thought being organized and detail oriented were nice companions to hospitality. It all made sense. Now she knew what her life was about, and she was eager to move forward, being true to the person God had created her to be.

  The wedding plans were also coming together nicely. Their bank account was growing, thanks to Todd’s painting job, and Christy was finding time to complete her class work since she rarely saw Todd.

  On the Friday afternoon before Easter vacation, Christy worked extra hours in the bookstore while the other student employees left early for their vacations. Matthew Kingsley came in wearing a baseball cap over his light brown hair. He appeared to have grown an inch since she had seen him last. “Hi,” Christy said.

  “Hi yourself.”

  His warm brown eyes smiled down at her. “Where have you been hiding? I haven’t seen you in weeks. I stopped by a couple of times, but you haven’t been here.”

  “My hours changed this semester,” Christy said. “I have more classes, too. I’ve been swamped.”

  “Tell me about it. They have us on a crazy schedule this baseball season.”

  “How are you doing?”

  “Great. My mom told me about your grandfather passing away,” Matt said. “I was real sorry to hear that. He was a good man.”

  Matt and Christy had grown up together in Brightwater. He had been her first crush at Washington Elementary School, and now they were at the same school again. Last semester Christy had seen Matt all the time. This semester they rarely ran into each other.

  “Thanks, Matt,” Christy said. “I agree. He was a wonderful man. I saw your sisters at the funeral. They’ve really grown.”

  “Yeah, they’re both doing well. My family is coming to California this summer, so they’re pretty excited.”

  “Are you staying here this summer?”

  Matt nodded. “I got a job with the Youth Outreach Center. That’s why I haven’t been helping Todd with the youth group at his church. I have my own bunch of kids to work with now. They’re a lot more street smart than the kids Todd works with. I like it. We have two baseball teams put together so far.”

  “That sounds like something you would be good at,” Christy said. “How did you find that job?”

  “Jenna works there. She recommended me.”

  “Jenna?”

  “Don’t you remember Jenna? I told you guys in the cafeteria one day in December that I wanted to ask her out, and you talked me into that group date event at The Dove’s Nest.”

  “Oh yes, Jenna.”

  “It’s okay if you don’t remember much about that night. You and Todd were pretty busy getting yourselves engaged.”

  Christy smiled. “That was a special night. I was glad you were there.”

  Matt hesitated and shyly looked over his shoulder before saying, “We’re still doing stuff together.”

  “You are? You and Jenna?”

  Matt nodded.

  “Good for you! She seemed like a really sweet person.”

  “She is,” Matt said. “I’ve been wanting to tell you that because, well . . . I guess I just wanted you to know and to be happy for me. You’re like the closest thing to family I have here.”

  “I’m glad you told me. I hope you bring her to our wedding. The invitations haven’t been mailed yet, but it’s on May twenty-second.”

  “I’ll be there,” Matt said. “And I’ll bring Jenna with me.”

  “Good.” Christy hoped her warm smile told Matt how happy she was for him.

  “As a matter of fact, Jenna and I are going bowling tonight, in case you and Todd want to go with us.”

  “Bowling, huh?” Christy thought it was great Matt had found a girl who liked sports. “Thanks, but I’m not sure we can squeeze it in. As soon as I get off work, I have to drive down to my parents’ house. The bridesmaids’ dresses arrived, and I have to get Tracy’s to her in case it needs altering.”

  “Oh.” Matt nodded but looked as if he had no idea what she was talking about. “We can try to do something together another time.”

  “Sure.” Christy knew it wouldn’t happen. At least not in the next two months.

  Maybe after we’re married, Todd and I will find time to get our social life back.

  On Saturday afternoon, Christy drove to Carlsbad with Tracy’s bridesmaid’s dress in the Volvo’s backseat. She and Tracy planned to meet for lunch at the Blue Ginger Café, but Christy was a little early. That was fine with her because she was able to grab an open table outside where the fresh spring sunshine poured over her, warming her and making her eager for summer to come. She closed her menu and closed her eyes, basking in the warmth.

  A few moments later, Tracy walked up, and Christy smiled to see her friend’s little belly pooching out in a compact, round ball.

  “I know,” Tracy said, patting her tummy. “I’m definitely showing.”

  “You look so cute! You’re adorable.” Christy hugged her and patted the baby bubble gently. “You look really good, Tracy.”

  “Thanks, Christy. I can’t say that I believe you, but thanks.” Tracy pulled out a chair and sat across f
rom Christy. “Have you ordered yet?”

  “No, I was just enjoying a little sunshine break.”

  “It’s nice today, isn’t it? I hope you didn’t wait long. We had an appointment with the doctor before coming here, and it lasted longer than we expected. He had some surprising news for us.”

  Christy took off her sunglasses to see Tracy’s face more clearly. “Twins?”

  “No.” Tracy laughed nervously. “Thank goodness! We found out it’s a boy. We want to name him Daniel.”

  “That’s wonderful! Or were you hoping for a girl?”

  “No, I’m thrilled. Doug is thrilled.”

  “And you like the name Daniel?”

  “I love it. He can go by Danny when he’s little and then use Daniel when he earns his Ph.D.”

  Christy grinned. “You have high aspirations for this child.”

  “Doesn’t every parent?”

  The waitress stepped up to their table, and they both ordered garden salads and sparkling mineral water.

  “Are we becoming old ladies or what?” Christy asked. “Look at us, ordering salads and mineral water. That’s what my aunt would order.”

  “I talked to your aunt this week,” Tracy said.

  “You did?”

  “Yes. I have some more news for you. I’ve been planning a couple’s shower for you and Todd. Doug thought we should make it a surprise, but I told him I was going to tell you today because I thought it would be easier if you knew.”

  “Thanks, Tracy.”

  “It’s this Thursday, and your aunt volunteered her house because, when Doug and I started to make a list of people to invite, we realized we couldn’t fit twenty or more people in our little living room.”

  “And my aunt agreed to this?”

  “She was thrilled and honored. I told her we would do all the food, but she insisted I let her take care of everything because of my ‘condition.’” Tracy settled back in her chair and rested her arm on her stomach. “I would have argued with her, but the truth is, I am pretty tired all the time.”

  “Todd said you were planning to quit your job after the baby . . . or should I say, after Danny gets here.”

  Tracy nodded and sipped the mineral water the waitress placed in front of her. “We might have to move.”