by Raj, Carol;
Muriel couldn’t help but smile. What was going on? Could she possibly be wrong? Her voice was suddenly small. “What is this, Patrick?”
“A party for you. Like the funeral you asked me to come to. But better, don’t you think?”
So much better than a funeral. No tears. Just laughter. And she didn’t even have to be dead. The crowd swelled around her like an ocean, and a tsunami of sound echoed and reechoed around the hall. Everyone came over to say hello.
She was the reason they had all come. She was the center of attention. Who would have thought? She often had to refer to the other guests’ nametags. Her former students were all fifteen to thirty years older than when she knew them, with beards and wrinkles they hadn’t imagined they’d ever get. But once Muriel read the name, she remembered bits and pieces about their lives. Which ones were in the chess club, which ones were in the band, which ones threw spit balls from the back of the room when they thought she wasn’t looking. At least three doctors were in the crowd, several lawyers, and even a geometry teacher at a rival school.
One of the food service employees stopped to say hello as he carried a huge bowl of croutons over to the buffet table. “I should have paid more attention in school, Mrs. Smith. You were right. But don’t worry. I won’t be doing this forever. I’m taking computer classes at the community college now. Then I’ll transfer credits and get my four-year degree. Maybe someday somebody will be throwing me a party like this.”
Just as she thought things couldn’t get better, a side door opened, and a drum roll sounded, and out stepped Natalie and Chloe.
Natalie walked over to Muriel, held both her hands, and looked deep into her eyes. “I had no idea what a great teacher you were, Mom. Or what a difference you made in so many lives. These people are all here because of you. I’m so proud.”
Natalie. Proud. Muriel had desired this for so many years.
The food was great. Not chicken. But prime rib with potatoes au gratin and a squash medley. Muriel’s table was at the front of the hall where she could see and be seen. Natalie sat to her right and Patrick to her left. The speeches people gave were alternately funny and poignant. Even Kevin spoke about how she’d changed his life. She hoped the night would never end.
When the speeches were over, the servers brought out the largest sheet cake Muriel had ever seen. Yellow candy roses nestled in edible green candy leaves. The top decorations completely hid the white frosting that was clearly visible on the sides of the cake.
Natalie leaned over. “Look familiar, Mom?”
Muriel raised her eyebrows. “It looks just like the cake your father bought when you turned six.”
“Exactly. Except they couldn’t make a layer cake big enough to feed this crowd. And it doesn’t have banana cream filling. I still hate bananas.”
“I know you do.”
“You know, Mom, this is my way of saying I forgive you for that cake. I shouldn’t have held a grudge for so many years.”
You forgive me! Your father bought that cake! I knew it was wrong the minute I saw it. Muriel swallowed. “Thank you. I’m sorry.”
Natalie held her arms wide for a hug.
“Speech! Speech!” The whole audience was rising now. Even the kitchen personnel and the servers stopped their work to face the head table.
Muriel couldn’t think of anything to say except thank you. And that she only managed with a break in her voice.
As the guests started to clear out, she found Legs in the kitchen, scrubbing pots with his employees. “Legs…I mean, Mr. Landry.”
“Mrs. Smith! I do hope you enjoyed your party. We all worked hard on it.”
“I enjoyed it more than I can ever express. Thank you so much. And thanks to your kitchen staff, too. The food was great. The service was great. I can see why this conference center is such a success. But I have one question for you.”
Legs turned from the sink. “I do hope it’s not about geometry!”
“Pop quiz?”
Legs laughed. “Not on your life. So what do you want to ask me?”
“Who provided the leis?”
“I’m not supposed to tell.”
“I’d really like to thank whoever was responsible. They must have spent a fortune.”
“I’d say so. The leis were flown in this afternoon from Hawaii. Private jet.”
“So who?”
“Sorry, Mrs. Smith. I’m sworn to secrecy.”
Muriel put one hand on each hip. “Legs Landry, if you don’t name every single one of the people who are responsible for those leis, I’ll make you calculate the area of a cylinder. Right in front of all your employees.”
“It wasn’t a them, Mrs. Smith. It was a him.”
Muriel felt a sudden chill. She could barely get her next words out. “The name, Legs. Please.”
“A Mr. Clarence Hall.”
Muriel gasped. Now she’d have to call him. It was the right thing to do.
32
Muriel had thrown Clarence’s contact information away so she wouldn’t be tempted. The telephone operator absolutely refused to give out an unlisted number. And Muriel couldn’t think who might have it. She had already emptied two of the three bags that held paper for recycling. The contents were scattered all over her living room carpet. She was just about to upend the third bag when she realized that she did know someone who’d have Clarence’s number. Kevin! He was much less suspicious than the telephone operator.
Clarence picked up the phone on the third ring.
“Clarence. This is Muriel. I just wanted to thank you for the beautiful leis at my party. Nobody’s ever done anything like that for me. I can’t tell you how touched I was.” And how much I wanted you there by my side.
“I’m glad you enjoyed them. But if you really want to thank me, please have dinner with me one more time. I’ve made up my mind. If my wealth comes between us, I’ll give it away.”
“I could never ask you to do that.”
“But I haven’t always been rich, you know. My father was a plumber, and my mother was a housewife. ‘I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound…’”
How to be poor and how to be rich.
“Clarence! That’s Philippians! It’s one of my favorite verses in the whole Bible.” And it’s my sign, Lord! It’s the sign I asked for! My Gideon’s fleece!
“It’s one of my favorite verses, too.”
“You don’t need to give anything away, Clarence.” Just your heart.
“What made you change your mind?”
Giving an explanation over the phone was too hard. Telling him how all she’d prayed for was someone to mow her lawn. How the carjacking didn’t seem like an answer to prayer at all. How it led to her friendship with Kevin and her meeting with Patrick and her tutoring business and to Clarence himself. How even her unanswered prayer for a purse was a blessing. Because if the clasp had held, she would still think her mirror was worthless and the two of them were hopelessly mismatched.
“I’ll tell you over dinner, Clarence. I’ll explain the whole thing.”
33
“Mother, you look beautiful. And that necklace! It must have cost Clarence a fortune.” Natalie took a step back from Muriel and adjusted her mother’s new string of pearls so that the two largest were prominently in the center and the diamond pendant swung freely below.
“Thank you. Oh, I do hope everything goes smoothly today. The last time I got married was fifty years ago. I’m just as nervous now as I was then. I wonder what your father would say if he could see me.” Muriel looked up at the ceiling as if, had Howard been looking down, she could get a nod of approval.
Natalie put one hand on each of Muriel’s arms. “He’d say the same thing I just did. You look beautiful.” Natalie took a step back. “You are sure you want to go through with this, aren’t you? You’re not nervous because you’re having second thoughts?”
“I always have second thoughts. You know that. And third and fourth and fifth. I susp
ect that on our tenth wedding anniversary I’ll still be wondering if I made the right decision. Sometimes I still wonder if I should have married your father.”
Natalie clucked her tongue. “Honestly, Mother. Where would I be if you hadn’t?”
The organ music began. Muriel took one last look in the full-length mirror. The blue of her suit matched the blue of her hat. The gabardine fell nicely over her hips and the flared bottom of the skirt swayed just a little as she walked. The lace shell under the jacket would be cool enough to dance in at the reception. And probably quite appealing to Clarence. At least she hoped so.
“Why, Mother. You’re blushing.”
“I am making a mistake, aren’t I? That’s why you asked. Oh, my. Has the church begun filling up yet? Maybe there’s still time for me to sneak out. We could just put a sign on the door.”
“Oh, Mother. Don’t be silly. Clarence loves you. I see it in the way he takes your elbow to guide you down the sidewalk. And the way he looks at you when you’re busy doing something else. And I know you love him. Your whole face lights up when you even mention his name. You’ll be so happy together.”
The pre-arranged organ signal was sounding now. In five minutes, the organist would start the processional.
Natalie took Muriel by the arm and led her to the back of the sanctuary.
Muriel peeked in at the crowd. “Just a small wedding,” Clarence had said. Except that with so many of her former students and current tutored students attending, the numbers had swelled enormously.
Pastor Jorgensen stood in front of the altar. But Muriel couldn’t see around the guests in the pews to make sure Clarence was waiting next to him. No matter. He was there. He was that kind of guy. Steady and reliable. She wouldn’t have wanted anybody different.
Kevin stood at the back waiting to walk her down the aisle. He looked so grown up in his rented tux. “All systems go, Mrs. B.”
Last time it was her father walking her down the aisle. Maybe he was looking down, too, nudging Howard as they watched together with her mom.
Chloe would go first, then Natalie, then Muriel.
“I can’t go through with this.” Muriel’s eyes widened.
“Yes, you can, Mother. Didn’t you feel the same way when you married Daddy?”
Muriel nodded. “Yes. But that was different.”
“Of course it was. You were both young. Neither of you had any idea what the future would bring. You just knew you wanted to face it hand in hand. Now you know yourself so much better than you did fifty years ago.”
“But, Natalie…”
“Can you really leave Clarence waiting at the front of the church? I can see the tabloid headlines now. ‘Area’s Most Eligible Bachelor Jilted at the Altar.’ It would be so embarrassing.”
No, she could never do something like that. Not to someone she loved so much.
The processional started.
Chloe stepped onto the red carpet in the center aisle. Right foot first, left foot coming alongside.
Muriel had watched her walk like that when she was six. Little Chloe playing bride with a lace curtain dragged off the clothesline hanging over her face and a bouquet of dandelions in her clenched fists. Now she carried orchids. Though carried wasn’t exactly the right word. They rested on the shelf created by her bulging stomach. “Twins,” the doctor had said. No wonder she was getting so big.
Strange that Muriel was getting married before Chloe was. She and Clarence would have to cut their Hawaiian honeymoon from four weeks to three so she could come back and be Chloe’s matron of honor. Now that Clarence had hired Phillip away from his father’s firm, he had no excuse not to make things right. And probably they’d stay for the birth of the babies.
Her veil! How could she have forgotten? Muriel reached up for the netting on top of her hat and pulled it over her eyes. “Go, Natalie. Go.” She couldn’t believe how eager she sounded.
Kevin held his arm out. “Ready, Mrs. B?”
“Ready.” Her voice was firm now. She was doing the right thing. She knew it.
At the first notes of “Here comes the Bride,” the whole sanctuary rose.
She and Kevin moved out together. Right foot forward, left foot coming alongside, repeat.
Just as they’d rehearsed it.
Tears came to her eyes and she didn’t know if they were for the nostalgia of her wedding fifty years ago or for the joy of her wedding today. Who would have thought? Halfway up the aisle she finally spied Clarence waiting at the altar, his hands clasped in front of him, his eyes glowing with anticipation. And, suddenly, he was all she could see because he was all she would ever want. Thank you, Lord, for not just sending someone to mow my lawn.
A Devotional Moment
Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. ~ 1 Corinthians 7:17
Many people do not like change. They establish a safe routine, often out of a fear of the unknown, and do not deviate. When thrust into a situation that upsets that routine feelings of failure or unease can creep in. Routine can become a way to hide from hurt. In so doing, we harm our relationship with God, even if we pray every day. But God, as always, has other plans. He expects us to reach our highest goals and to have purpose in our lives. Routine can also take us to a complacency of things and people. We ignore the blessing and count it as something that will always be there—or worse, something we deserve and therefore don’t need to nurture. But, again, God will always bring us to new understanding.
In The Curious Prayer Life of Muriel Smith, the protagonist is jolted out of her routine. Contending with events outside that safety, she finds that life is for the living and secret adventure calls to her nature. Things she thought she saw clearly are now mundane, and God grabs her by the hand to show her a new and exciting life.
Do you have a tendency to be presumptuous in the way you view people and things around you? Does the familiar, the routine, keep you from seeing the truth about situations and people? Perhaps you take for granted your spouse, friend, parents, or even your job. Look beyond the routine to see the heart of people and the wonderment of the every-day. Nothing exists by chance. God has His hand on everything. And, nothing is forever. It should not bring fear to think that what we have today may be gone tomorrow, but rather, we should gain a sense of appreciation. The old adage is wise: stop and smell the roses.
LORD, WHEN I BECOME COMPLACENT IN ROUTINE, I ASK THAT YOU SHOW ME ALL THAT YOU HAVE TO OFFER TO ME. HELP ME TO SEE THOSE BLESSINGS AND TO BE BOTH JOYFUL AND THANKFUL. IN JESUS’ NAME I PRAY, AMEN.
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AMDG
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