Find Wonder In All Things

by Karen M Cox

  “Oh,” she went on, “I meant to tell you earlier, but it slipped my mind — pregnancy brain, you know.”

  “Yes?”

  “Stu heard from James Marshall, and he invited him down here to stay a couple weeks this summer.”

  Laurel felt her stomach sink to her sandals. “James?” she whispered.

  “Yeah, you and he had that fling a while back, I remember, and I told Stuart it might be a little awkward for you, but he was so thrilled to hear from him again, and he’d already asked him, so . . . ”

  “How did Stuart find him?”

  “James found us if you can believe that. It was weird the way it happened. Crosby was looking for a place for us at the same time he was helping James’s sister Susan and her husband find a vacation home around here.”

  “Oh?” Laurel said weakly, trying to mask her expression and fiddling with some papers on the counter.

  “James told them how much he loved the lake when he was growing up, so when Susan’s husband was discharged from the Navy, they started looking here for a place. We met them while we were house hunting and struck up a conversation. We made the connection, and she told James, and the rest is history. James called Stuart that weekend to catch up.”

  “I see.”

  “You can handle this can’t you? I can’t imagine it would be awkward for you now. That was so many years ago, and you were just kids. It might be kind of fun to get to know him again since he’s a big millionaire now.”

  Laurel said nothing.

  “With Carrie and Heather, and now James too, we’re going to have a full house for the month of June,” Virginia went on, wiping off windows with a Windex-soaked paper towel.

  Laurel mentally rolled her eyes at the mention of Stuart’s younger sisters. They were nice enough and fun to be around, although they could be a little silly at times. Heather was just graduated from college — tall, slender, and very beautiful. And boy, did she know it. Carrie was her faithful sidekick, one year younger and slightly more animated in personality.

  “The whole month, huh?” Laurel picked up the window cleaner bottle and read the label. “Hey, are you sure you should be breathing this stuff? Is it good for little Junior?”

  “I’m not breathing it, sister dear, I’m cleaning with it — and it’s fine.” She smiled. “Don’t call him or her little Junior; I’ll get in the habit of it, and I’ll never be able to think of a name. Mrs. Pendleton’s already trying to get me to commit to traditional family names like Opal and Harvey.”

  “Junior’s better than those,” Laurel quipped.

  “So, the girls are arriving in a couple days.” She led Laurel through the hallway to one of the bedrooms. “I’m going to put them in here. They’ll have to share because James will be in the other guest room here.” She walked further down the hall. “This is the master bedroom, and it has a bath off to the side. Isn’t it great?” Virginia’s voice was full of excitement.

  Laurel nodded, smiling at her sister. She put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  Virginia returned the one-armed hug. “You know, I worry about you up in that cabin all by yourself, especially given Mom’s problems. I don’t want that to happen to you.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about me.” Laurel waved her hand in dismissal. “I’ve been told that as long as I’m growing and changing, it’s not the same as hiding away.”

  Virginia flopped down on the bed. “But are you growing and changing? Or is it just more comfortable to stay here?”

  “Mom and Dad need me, and I hate to spend too much time away from home until Spring is out on her own. She’s going to need help with college applications and all that. We both know Mom is no good with those things; she’s already crying about her baby leaving home. And Dad doesn’t do details; you know how he is. He’s got so much on his plate with the marina . . . ” she trailed off.

  “It’s that bad?”

  “Well, I mean, he’s scraping by, but the marina is old and things need repairing. The restaurant needs a menu update and new décor. There are only so many times I can re-paint the walls to freshen up the look a little bit. It’s just all starting to look shabby, especially compared to the new place they’re building across the lake.”

  “Sounds like you’ve got a lot to keep you busy then. If I were a good daughter, I’d help more. But now I’ve got the move to deal with, and the practice to keep track of, and the dental office to re-do . . . ”

  “And the baby in the oven,” Laurel reminded her.

  “Well, there’s that,” Virginia agreed.

  With a shrug, Laurel went on. “It’s fine. You gotta do what you gotta do.” Besides, it’s not like I have anything better to do. She tried not to let bitterness creep into the back of her mind.

  Virginia rolled over onto her back. “It’s a risk, you know, moving back here. Not a financial risk — I think the dental practice combined with the orthodontics Stuart wants to develop will be a great success, but I don’t want to get embroiled in all that Mom and Dad mess like you have.

  “I don’t mean to criticize you; honest I don’t. It’s just . . . it’s just not for me. I can’t deal with them.”

  Laurel shrugged. She’d like to get out of that mess too, but somebody had to help out, and somehow it had fallen to her. She supposed it was just her lot in life.

  Chapter 13

  The next week saw the arrival of James Marshall at the lake. Virginia and Stuart were excited about seeing their old childhood friend, and Carrie and Heather felt all the anticipation that the appearance of a rich, single guy could bring. Plans were made for a celebratory dinner at the Brownsboro Inn, the nicest restaurant in the local small town. There they would meet up with Susan and Gary, James’s sister and brother-in-law, who had recently moved to the area. Laurel dreaded that first meeting with James, but it ended up going well enough.

  She waited along with Stuart’s sisters, who were already on the deck at Pendleton Place, as they were beginning to call it. Before long, they spied a black BMW snaking its way up the mountain road. The excitement from the girls was palpable, though Laurel kept her emotions hidden from view.

  “I wonder if he’s as handsome as his picture in Forbes,” Carrie wondered aloud. “I don’t remember him being that attractive when we were growing up. Didn’t he used to clean tables at your father’s restaurant, Laurel?”

  “Hmm? Oh, yes, he did — one summer.”

  “Was he good-looking then?”

  “I suppose.”

  “Well, you know they always stage the photos in magazines to put people to their best advantage,” Heather sniffed. “But I always say money makes men better-looking.

  Carrie laughed.

  Heather went on, “I’d be more interested in whether he has any personality at all or if he’s just one of those engineering geeks who can only talk about computers and Star Trek.”

  “He’s not like that,” Laurel said in a quiet voice.

  “Oooh, really?”

  “He’s a musician, actually . . . a guitarist. The software his company developed records and mixes music tracks.”

  “How interesting,” Carrie remarked. “Maybe he’ll play the guitar for us. I wouldn’t mind having a millionaire serenade me around a summer night campfire.” She giggled.

  They heard the crunch of gravel down below and the slam of a car door. The sound of men’s voices and warm greetings drifted up when Stuart and James saw each other for the first time in several years. The door below opened and banged shut. Laurel felt her heart beating against her ribs, but she forced a neutral expression and followed the girls inside to face her past.

  “Heather! Carrie! Laurel!” Stuart called up the stairs. “Come say ‘hi’ to James. The prodigal friend has returned!”

  The girls bounded forward with welcoming embraces and exuberant hellos.

  “And of course, you remember Laurel.”

  James stepped around the girls, and Laurel had to s
top herself from gasping. He looked good . . . really good. He’d always been tall, but he had filled out the way men do in their late twenties. His shoulders were broader than she remembered, but his hair was still that rich brown color; she had forgotten how pretty it was. He looked at her with those captivating eyes she remembered so well, but in them, she saw only intellectual interest. There was no anticipation, no emotion. Well, that was to be expected, she told herself. He had surely moved on years ago from whatever attachment he had to her.

  With a brief smile, he said hello, and made a vague ‘good to see you again’ comment. Then he turned to Stuart. “Where do you want me to put this bag, Stu?”

  “Oh, here, I’ll take it. Heather, get James a beer would you? I’m going to go see what’s keeping Virginia.”

  “Sure thing,” Heather took James’s arm and led him into the kitchen area. “Wait till you see the view from the deck. Laurel and I were just talking about it when you drove up.” Laurel watched him as he walked, but she stayed put, unable to follow. She sat down on the couch with a heavy thud.

  Stuart came down the hall a couple of minutes later and gestured to her. “Hey, Sis, come here a sec.”

  “What’s wrong? Is she okay?”

  “She’s sick. It’s like morning sickness but not in the morning. It isn’t a problem normally, but today seems to be a bad one. I guess she overdid it with the cleaning or something.” He glanced over at the clique in the kitchen. “I’d stay with her myself but . . . It’s just that with James coming in today and the dinner at Brownsboro tonight . . . ” He hesitated.

  Laurel got the hint, and to be honest, it was fine with her to stay and play nursemaid to Virginia. It would have been much more difficult to sit at a dinner table with James when he seemed so disinterested in her. “I’ll stay with her. It’s not a problem.”

  “Oh man, that would be great. I hate to ask you because you don’t get to go out that much.” He stopped short, looking awkward and a little embarrassed by his last remark. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded . . . ”

  “I don’t mind. If Virginia’s fine with it, I’m fine. Just bring me a slice of cheesecake, would you?”

  “Sure, sure, I’ll do that. Thanks a million, Laurel. I know it’s just morning sickness, and it’s normal, but it’s unusual for her to be sick, and this is all still uncharted territory for me.”

  He paused. “Umm, this situation isn’t too weird for you is it — I mean James being here? I know you guys dated for a while back in school, but it was a long time ago, so . . . ”

  “I’m sure it will be fine,” she said lightly, turning away. “I better go let Virginia in on the plan for tonight.”

  “What’s going on?” Carrie asked.

  Stuart walked over to them. “Virginia’s not feeling well. I didn’t get a chance to tell you before, James, but we’re expecting.”

  “Oh!” James’s voice showed his surprise. “Well then, congratulations.” He set down his beer, shook Stuart’s hand and clapped him on the shoulder.

  “Thanks.”

  “She’s okay, isn’t she?”

  “Yeah, she’s okay — just that morning sickness thing. Or I guess evening sickness in this case. Laurel’s going to stay with her.”

  The way the four of them turned and looked at Laurel as a unit made her feel like she was on display in a glass case. She gave them a weak smile.

  “Aww,” Carrie whined, “Laurel, that’s too bad.” She turned to James. “We love getting together with Laurel. She always has such interesting stories to tell about life in the mountains.”

  “Oh?” James answered nonchalantly, looking over at Laurel’s flushed face.

  Heather interjected. “But maybe you’ll have some interesting California stories for us. Have you ever met any celebrities?”

  “A few, a very few,” he smiled in a self-deprecating way. “I’m sure my stories aren’t all that exciting.”

  “Oh, I’m sure they are,” Heather gushed. “You’ve done so many things and been so many places.”

  Stuart rolled his eyes and took a swig of his beer. “Damn, girls. Don’t scare him off on his first day here. We’ll never get him to come back if you put him on the spot like that. Don’t worry, James; they do this to everybody.”

  Heather and Carrie giggled.

  Laurel looked past them and caught James staring at her closely. After a second, he spoke up. “You’re sure you don’t mind staying?”

  “No, it’s fine. Stuart’s bringing me a great dessert.” She smiled. “I’ll just go get Ginny some saltines and a glass of water. You all have fun, okay?” She left the room a little abruptly then, but she didn’t trust her expression to stay neutral much longer.

  * * *

  Stu, James and the girls arrived back at the house about 10:30. Laurel heard the car door slam, and laughter drifted in the open door as they made their way up the stairs to the great room. She and Ginny smiled at each other and shook their heads.

  “Hush you two. Ginny’s probably sleeping,” Stuart admonished.

  The Pendleton sisters clapped their hands over their mouths to stifle their giggles.

  “Oops, sorry.” Carrie lowered her voice as she led them into the room. “Oh, there she is. She’s not asleep at all. How are you feeling, Ginny?”

  “Better. I think I was just tired.” Ginny put down her magazine. “Did you have a good time?”

  “Great time, wasn’t it, James?” Heather gave him an admiring smile.

  “Yeah, good time.” He directed his attention to Laurel. “My sister was sorry she missed meeting you — and seeing Virginia again, of course. She hopes maybe you two will be able to get together with her another time.”

  “Oh, okay.”

  “She’s a fan of yours, as it turns out. She went on and on about your pottery.”

  “I see.”

  “And she wanted to talk to you about it. So . . . maybe some other time.”

  “I’d like that.”

  Virginia stood up and stretched. “I think I’m turning in,” she began, then stopped suddenly when the phone rang. “Who could that be this time of night?”

  Laurel watched as Ginny answered the kitchen phone and then plopped down on the stool at the counter. When she looked back around, she found James watching her again.

  Quickly, he looked away and said to Stuart, “I’m pretty tired from the drive down here. It won’t offend you if I turn in a little early will it?”

  “Oh no, not in the least,” Carrie replied. Her face told the whole story: She was completely besotted with James Marshall.

  Ginny covered the receiver with her hand and beckoned her sister. “Laurel, come talk to her.” Her impatience came through loud and clear.

  “Who?”

  “It’s Spring. When she found out you were here, she only wanted you.”

  Laurel moved to take the phone, and Ginny rejoined the group in the living room. Laurel spoke to her sister in soft, soothing tones, and after a few minutes, she hung up and made her way to the couch.

  “Everything okay?” James asked.

  She nodded, careful not to meet his gaze. “Mama’s . . . ” She paused. “She’s not feeling well.” She turned to her sister. “You know how it upsets Spring when she gets like that.”

  Ginny just sighed and gave Stuart a resigned look.

  “I’m sure she’ll be fine tomorrow,” Laurel cut in. “I’ll stop in on my way home and check on them.”

  James cleared his throat. “Well . . . good night, I guess.”

  “Night,” Heather and Carrie chorused.

  “See you in the morning,” Stuart answered. He reached for Ginny’s hand and led her out of the room.

  After they left, the sisters plopped down on either side of Laurel, alternating excited whispers between them.

  “He’s the cutest thing!” Heather began.

  “I’ll second that,” Carrie added. “Not a drop of geek in him.”

  “He told us all about Calif
ornia and all the things he’s done there — hiking and sky-diving and touring Napa Valley.”

  “And he told us about living in Nashville before he went to California. Why didn’t you tell us that? He said you knew about it.”

  “Um, I don’t know. It didn’t occur to me, I guess. It was so long ago . . . wasn’t it?”

  “Long enough, I suppose,” Heather went on. “You know, he said he wouldn’t have known you, Laurel, if he met you on the street. He said you’d changed that much.”

  “He did? I don’t think I look that different.”

  “A little older maybe,” Carrie said soothingly.

  Ouch, that hurt! Laurel knew Carrie wasn’t trying to insult her. She just said thoughtless things sometimes. She had gotten to know the Pendleton girls fairly well, especially since Stuart had married her sister, and for the most part, she liked them. Sometimes, though, they just acted . . . young.

  “Well,” — Laurel put her hands on her knees and stood up — “I guess I’ll head back up to my cabin in the hills.”

  “Don’t forget your cheesecake,” Heather said helpfully. She handed Laurel the box.

  “Thanks. I’ll see you all. Have fun at the lake. Don’t hound the company too much.”

  “Good night, Laurel,” they said in unison.

  Laurel walked out to her old Jeep sitting in the driveway. She felt a little prickle on the back of her neck as if she was being watched. When she turned around and glanced up at the house, she expected to see Heather or Carrie there, but there was no one — only the movement of a curtain from one of the guest bedroom windows.

  Chapter 14

  Over the next few days, Laurel and James were often in each other’s company. The culmination of the week found them all on the Pendleton family houseboat cruising around the lake to dock at the state park picnic grounds for a cookout. Laurel had staked out a spot on the roof where the wind could drown out the sound of girlish laughter and James’s easy-going speech below. He was charming the pants off the Pendleton girls — well, Laurel hoped not literally for their sakes. What would happen to sisterly affection if he showed an interest in one of them over the other or, heaven forbid, both of them at the same time? Laurel clung to the little bit of resentment that thought produced. It would do her no good to let herself become enamored of James again. She was a great believer in karma and timing, and her time — her chance for a future with James Marshall — had come and gone.