Todd and I glanced at each other. “But I thought that you and Uncle Garth got married straight out of high school.”
“We did.” She smiled. “And you don’t have to look so worried, honey. I adored your Uncle Garth. But it seems that Harry and I were meant to be together…it just took us seventy-five years to figure that out.”
“I’m pretty sure Harry would disagree with you,” Todd said gently. “I seem to recall that he said he asked you to marry him in second grade.”
She pursed her lips. “I was a little young then, don’t you think?”
“But why—” A loud knock interrupted my next question.
“Come in,” Aunt Dot sang. Clearly, she was in her element with the high excitement of the party. She pressed her hands to her glowing cheeks, and I noticed that her nails were sparkling with a rosy-hued polish.
My elderly neighbor Sherm shuffled through the door, followed by Houston.
“Hello, there, Miss Dot.” Houston grasped her hand. “You’re looking especially beautiful tonight, isn’t she, Sherm?” he yelled.
Sherm drew his handkerchief beneath his nose and beamed at my aunt. “Finer ’n frog’s hair, I’d say. And it’s yer birthday, you say?”
“Not mine, Sherm. Harry’s. Harry Parsons.” Dot smiled and nodded at her old friend.
He gave her a broad grin. “Cherries? Now that sounds real good.”
Luke snickered from where he sat on the floor petting Purl. I winked at him. “You haven’t heard anything yet.”
The door opened again to let Mona and Rob squeeze into the tiny living room. Mona’s fuchsia blouse and matching western boots failed to deflect attention from her red, swollen eyes. Uh oh. I glanced up at Rob, and he shook his head, tight-lipped.
“Why, Mona. Are you not feeling well, dear?” Aunt Dot reached her hands out for a hug.
“Allergies,” she mumbled. Her cloud of scent wafted over to me while she greeted my aunt, then lifted Intarsia in a tight hug. Our gaze met over the dog’s head, and she tilted her head almost imperceptibly. Enough to let me know that she knew. And it wasn’t good. My heart sank, and I managed to maneuver my way over to her side while more guests arrived.
“Is it bad?” I whispered.
Her eyes filled, and she nudged me in the direction of the bathroom. We snuck into the room, and she shut the door.
“It’s the ‘C’ word for sure.” She clutched my forearm. “I’m so scared.”
I grabbed her hand. “When did you find out? What stage is it?”
She clung to my hand like it was her last lifeline. “Just this morning. Thank God Rob was home, because when I got the call, I fell out flat on the floor. Bonked my head on the kitchen cabinet on the way down.” She lifted her bangs to show me a nasty bruise on her forehead. “And my poor little baby, Bubbles. He was licking my nose when I woke up, trying to make me feel better.”
“I’m so sorry.” I hugged her for a long moment, feeling her tears soak into the shoulder of my shirt. Words seemed inadequate. And I didn't have any, anyway.
After a long moment, she pulled away. “I have to make it through the evening. Rob wanted me to stay home, but I couldn’t miss Harry's party. And besides, I had already made the beans.”
I laughed, glad for a light moment. Mona was known countywide for her baked beans. “Can’t forget the beans, for sure.” I opened the door a crack, needing some air. “We’ll talk more later, okay? You know I'm praying fervently for you.”
“I know. You pray more than anyone I know. Except for Dot. I want to be like you when I grow up.”
I rolled my eyes. “You are pretty special the way you are, friend. God knew I needed someone like you in my life.”
She grabbed me, pressing a kiss to my cheek. “Aww, I love you too.” She released me and pulled her blouse down over her hips. “Is Karen going to be here tonight?”
“She and Justin are going to try to make it if they can find a babysitter. She said she has something to tell me. And I think I just heard Lonnie and Rick arrive.” I pushed the door open to a very crowded living room. I wasn’t sure how Dot thought we’d all fit in her apartment for two hours, but here we all were. I inched my way over to Todd.
He wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “Everything okay?”
“I’ll tell you about it later,” I murmured, leaning into his side. His solid strength comforted me for a moment. Funny how life was like that…pain and sorrow mixed with moments of sweetness. “It should be about time, shouldn’t it?”
As if on cue, Aunt Dot clapped her hands together. “Thank you all for coming. Harry should be here in about five minutes, and we all know that he is never late.”
A ripple of laughter swept the room. If Harry Parsons was anything, he was punctual.
“If everyone will head into the kitchen, I want to move closer to the door so I can see his face when he comes in. Callie, you ready with your camera?”
“Yes, ma’am.” I moved into position next to her. I wanted a picture of Harry's face, but I also wanted to capture my aunt's expression when he came in.
Good natured muttering and shuffling ensued as everyone packed into the small kitchen. Todd switched off the kitchen light, leaving Aunt Dot sitting alone in the light of the living room. If Harry didn’t get here soon, we would all sweat to death, no doubt.
A minute later I heard footsteps outside the door, then a rattling noise. I held my breath, strangely nervous suddenly.
The footsteps passed, and I sighed. Probably just a nurse making her rounds. I checked my phone for the millionth time, making sure I was ready to take pictures as soon as the door opened.
Another interminable minute or two and then more footsteps. A knock sounded, and Harry popped his head in. “Where’s my sweetheart?”
Someone flipped the light on as we all shouted “Surprise!”
I snapped photos like crazy. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that several others were doing the same thing.
Harry froze in the doorway for a second, then strode into the room, the door banging behind him. “Well, now. Y’all pulled one over on me, didn't you?” He bent to kiss my aunt long and loud, and when he pulled back, her face was beet red.
“Oh, Harry.” She looked up at him. “Don’t embarrass me in front of the whole town, now, you rascal.”
He grinned at her, then dropped to his knees in front of her. “Well, now, Dorrie. I wasn't plannin’ to do this in front of an audience, but now’s as good a time as ever.”
What? I switched from photo mode to video.
“Dorrie Franklin, I asked you this same question seventy-five years ago on the playground of Short Creek Elementary School, and now I'm askin’ again. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
We held our collective breath as Aunt Dot lifted a hand to his cheek. She stared into his eyes for a long moment. Her lips trembled, and she pressed them together before speaking. “I never thought...”
Harry leaned toward her. “Say yes, darlin,” he whispered.
She glanced over to me, and I nodded, smiling.
She held my gaze, then turned back to him. “Yes, Harry. I would be honored to be your wife.”
“Hallelujah!” he hollered.
We all laughed and broke into applause. I checked to make sure I was still recording as Harry smothered her in a bear hug. Everyone else mobbed around the couple.
Todd came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. “Maybe it’s your turn next,” he whispered into my ear.
My face went hot. “Maybe,” I whispered, leaning back into his embrace. “What do you think?”
He nuzzled my ear. “Pretty good possibility, I’d say.”
“Hey, Callie.” Mona yelled across the room. “Aren’t you supposed to be taking pictures?”
Oh, yeah. I lifted my phone again. “I am, I am.”
She grinned at me. “Didn’t look like it to me.”
At least she was feeling a little more like herself if she was yelling at
me across the room. “Todd was giving me some pointers.”
“Uh huh. I know all about those kind of pointers.” She pushed her way over toward me.
“Wasn’t that adorable? Did you know he was going to ask her?”
I shook my head. “I knew he wanted to. But I think he was trying to wait until he was sure that she would say yes. I know she loves him, but she’s been dragging her feet a little.”
“It’s a big decision,” Todd said. “When you know it’s going to be forever, right, Mona?”
“Yeppers. I can't believe how scared I was to marry Rob. But it was the best thing that ever happened to me.” She turned to watch him swapping jokes with Lonnie's husband, Rick. “He’s my rock, that's for sure. The Lord knew what He was doing when He brought that dude into my life!”
I nodded. “It’s been ten years now?”
“Hard to believe.”
Todd tugged on my hand. “Let’s go congratulate the happy couple.”
He guided me through the crowd. I bent to hug my aunt, while Todd slapped Harry on the back. “You finally did it, man.”
Harry pumped a fist in the air. “Best birthday ever. I knew first time I laid eyes on this gal that she’d be mine someday.”
Todd grinned at him. “Got any advice for me?”
Aunt Dot laughed. “You really think you need help? I don't think Callie’s going to—”
“Auntie!”
Lonnie edged over near me. “Uh, looks like we might have an issue in the hallway.”
Todd’s ears perked up, and I watched his hand automatically move to his hip. We slid toward the door to see paramedics swarming through Kenny's door across the hall.
A nurse hovered nearby.
What was her name? Carol.
“Carol, what happened? Is Kenny worsening?”
“I don't know, Miz Callie. He seemed to be holding steady, but he took a sudden turn for the worse in the last hour. They’re taking him to Scott and White.”
Todd raised his eyebrows as the security guard, Chad, strode down the hall. “What do you know, Chad?”
Chad looked grim. “Don’t know, man. Just heard.”
“How could he get bad that suddenly?” He couldn’t die yet. He wasn’t ready. We weren’t ready.
The nurse shrugged. “Sometimes they do. If he decided he was done livin’, then there’s not much any of us can do ’bout it.” She shook her head. “Seemed like he was doin’ some better, though, since his daughter finally came and visited.”
I swallowed hard. “That wasn’t his d—”
Todd threw me a look.
“I mean, that’s good that he was able to spend some time with her.”
Carol the nurse nodded. “’Bout time. Nearly all who ever visited the poor man was that Blackman woman, and he was always so upset after she came. Thank God they finally made her stay away.”
We all backed out of the way as the EMTs wheeled Kenny's bed out, one of them holding an IV bag high.
He looked terrible. I laid my hand on his chest briefly as they paused to adjust the height and breathed a silent prayer. God, please save this man. He needs You. Lord, have mercy on him and let him live long enough to call on Your name.
I backed away, shaken. I'd never witnessed someone so close to death. The EMTs pushed past me and sprinted down the hall as fast as they could without endangering others.
Todd grabbed me in a side hug. “We’d better let Dot know.”
I nodded. I didn't want to have to tell her now, not on such a happy evening. But she needed to know. She would be upset if she found out later and I hadn't told her. We followed the rest of our friends back into Dot's room, where Harry sat next to her, holding her hand.
She reached for me with her other hand. “Is it Kenny?”
I nodded as I slid into the chair next to her. “They’re taking him to Scott and White. Loading him in the ambulance right now. It looks pretty bad.”
“Oh, no.” She closed her eyes briefly, then opened them to look at me. “He seemed to be doing better too.”
It wasn’t until I sat in bed that night, reliving the evening that I noticed it. I scrolled through the pictures, smiling at Harry's shocked expression when he first came in the door—laughing at Aunt Dot's cute face and then tearing up as I watched the video of the proposal. All in all, it was a wonderful night, and I was sad that Karen and Justin had missed it.
I scrolled through the pictures again, picking out the best ones to text to Jason and my parents. I started at the beginning, deciding to send them in chronological order. I deleted the first two blurry ones, then compared two of Harry standing in the doorway.
Wait a minute. What was that behind him? I enlarged the photo, staring at something behind Harry's leg. It looked as if someone had been walking behind him right when I snapped the shot. I pinched the picture to enlarge it. I couldn’t see the whole thing, but it looked like a pink handbag. Or maybe a stuffed animal? I flipped to the other picture and enlarged it. Nope, this one was worse. I went back to the first one. What was that? Something niggled at the back of my brain. I had seen something like that pink thing recently. Hmm. I selected it and scrolled through each of the next pictures. I guess it didn't really matter what the pink object was, but still, it bugged me.
Chapter Twenty-Two
I sat at my kitchen table the next morning, nursing my mug of tea while I finished my Bible study for the morning. It was nice to have a morning off, when I could stay in my robe for a little while instead of rushing out the door to open the store. Sharlene had proven herself competent to man the store for a couple of hours at a time, and mornings were usually slow. I checked my phone, but my mom hadn’t responded yet to the photos I texted her. Their area of Africa wasn’t known for great internet service, especially if they were traveling out in the boonies somewhere. She’d get back with me when she could.
Purl snored on my lap, while Intarsia huddled on my feet. Too bad I couldn’t fit two puggies on my lap. I pushed my Bible aside and opened the newspaper. I knew I could read the news online, but I still loved the “real” newspaper. Especially the crossword puzzles.
Usually, I didn’t have time to spend working crossword puzzles, but on my days off, I liked to work one every now and again. Mostly because my Uncle Garth and I used to do them together every morning in the summer, right here in this very kitchen. I missed him.
I scanned the lifestyle section of the Telegram as I made my way to the crossword puzzle, smiling when I saw a picture of Lonnie’s husband, Rick, our mayor. That’s part of what I loved about living in a small community—I worshipped at church with the same people I ran into in the grocery store. I greeted customers by name because they were my neighbors, or Todd’s co-workers. Or—
I sucked in my breath as my gaze snagged on the name in the classified ad: Janosic.
What?
I read the small ad, my mouth dry.
Attention: The county coroner’s office of Lakeland County, Kansas is seeking to find the family of James Janosic, formerly of Short Creek, Texas. Anyone with information, please call or email the office.
The coroner’s office? I squeezed my eyes shut tight for a moment. God, this wasn’t the ending Harry was praying for. Please strengthen his heart.
I opened my eyes and set Purl in her bed. I stared out my kitchen window at a female cardinal hopping around on the feeder in the early morning sunshine. She chirruped to her bright-red mate, and he fluttered down next to her, snatching a sunflower seed.
Had Harry seen this article yet? It was only 7:15, so maybe he wasn’t up yet this morning. I sipped my tea, watching as a chickadee splashed around in the birdbath. So, I guess the mystery of Jim Janosic had come to an end. At least the part of his whereabouts. He must have been living in Kansas, then died somehow and…wait a minute. The postcard.
The postcard had been postmarked from Kansas. Could Jim have written the postcard?
Nah, that was too far-fetched. Why would he write a postcard t
o his wife at their old address, when he knew perfectly well that—
Hmm. What if everyone assumed that Jim and Marianne had left Short Creek together all of those years ago?
What if they hadn’t?
And where did Sharlene fit into the picture?
I called Todd and asked him to meet me at Willowbough.
Half an hour later, we knocked on Aunt Dot’s door. “Auntie, it’s me and Todd. Can we come in?”
One look at her face and I knew she knew. I leaned down to give her a light hug, then perched next to Todd on the loveseat across from her. “Does Harry know yet?”
She nodded, straightening her collar. She didn’t look as put together as usual. “He’s calling the coroner’s office right now, bless his heart.”
“I feel so bad for him. After all this time…”
Todd squeezed my hand. “Remember that line you quoted me a few days ago?”
Yes. The one that reminded me that God is in control of all things. How much I needed that reminder again today. “There is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, ‘tis not to come. If it be not to come, it will be now.”
“Hamlet,” Aunt Dot murmured. “He didn’t know how things would end either, but he continued to prepare.”
“That’s what God asks us to do, isn’t it? To live each day in light of eternity?” Sobering thoughts on an early Saturday morning.
We sat in silence. After a few minutes, I became aware of the noises in the hallway outside Auntie’s apartment door. Nurses talking and laughing with residents. Carts rattling.
A brief knock sounded, and Harry slipped through the door. He held out his arms, and I ran to hug him. “I’m so sorry, Harry.”
Todd embraced him after me, whispering something in his ear before letting him loose.
Harry blew his nose, then settled in the easy chair next to Aunt Dot’s wheelchair. “I’m going to bring him home.”
Aunt Dot reached for his hand. “Did they tell you what happened?”
I hated how the sudden grief had caused the light in his eyes to fade.
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