“No buts!”
He chuckled. “Hey, you’re starting to sound like my mother.”
“I suppose she might rub off on me.”
“Well, don’t let her rub too much onto you. You know why Anna has such a hot temper now, don’t you?”
“What do you mean?”
“She’s grown up fighting to get her way against our mother.”
“But Anna hardly ever loses her temper.”
“She’s gotten better about that. But you should’ve heard her as a teenager. She and Mom sounded like World War III sometimes. They actually threw things.”
“They threw things?”
“Well, not all the time. But occasionally.” He laughed. “Like I remember the time Anna pitched Mom’s cookie jar.”
“Anna threw a cookie jar?”
“Yes. It was a special piece of pottery that had been in Mom’s family for years, valuable too. But Anna threw the whole thing, cookies and all, right onto the tile floor. It actually cracked some tiles.”
“Your mom must’ve been furious.”
“As I recall they both ended up in tears and hugging. Mostly I felt bad for the cookies. They were chocolate chip.”
“So are you saying that if I get into a fight with your mother, I should reach for the nearest cookie jar to make things better?”
Gil threw back his head and laughed.
Soon they were walking around Megan’s mother’s house. Lelani explained all the things that Mrs. Abernathy had promised would be improved. Not that she was trying to talk him into it exactly, but she wanted him to get the complete picture.
“This garden is awesome,” Gil told her as they sat out on a bench and soaked it all in. He pointed to a low spot in the yard. “If we set up the altar, or whatever you call it where couples say their vows, down there, and if we had chairs arranged in rows back in here, it would be kind of like stadium seating.”
Lelani considered this. “And since that’s the west side, if there was any kind of sunset going on, it might end up being really pretty.”
“Or else our guests would be blinded by the light.”
“Unless it was raining.” Lelani frowned at the clouds gathering to the west.
“I wonder how many guests we could have inside.”
“Megan and her mom thought we could get about seventy in there if they put the furnishings in storage.”
“They’re willing to do that?”
“Well, since Megan’s mom is selling and moving, she said she plans to remove a lot of things anyway.”
“And they really don’t mind if we have it here?”
Lelani studied his face, trying to determine what he was thinking. Instead she decided to kiss him. A few minutes later, after they stopped kissing, she asked him how he really felt.
“I feel like the luckiest guy on the planet, and I’m thinking, who needs a wedding? Let’s just catch the next flight to Vegas and—”
She laughed. “That’s not what I mean, Gil. I mean how do you feel about this for our wedding location?”
“How do you feel about it?”
“I think it’s romantic.”
He nodded.
“And affordable.” She grinned. “But really that’s not why I like it.”
“The truth is …” He looked around the yard and then back to the house. “It’s perfect.”
“Really, you think it’s perfect.”
He nodded. “In fact, I wish I could afford to buy this house for you, Lelani.”
She laughed hard now. “Maybe someday.”
“Yeah, it’s a little out of our budget for now. But speaking of living quarters, I’ve been wondering about my townhouse and whether we should—”
“I love your townhouse, Gil.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes. It’s a great location, both for your work and my school. And it’s not too big and not too small. In fact, it’s just right.”
He grinned, then pulled her toward him again. “Just like you. Just right.”
So it was settled. The wedding would be at Megan’s childhood home. Now if Gil’s mother could just accept that.
Thirteen
Megan
“Hey, I missed you at church this weekend,” Marcus said after Megan answered her phone.
“Oh, yeah.” Megan struggled to hang onto the phone as she carried Emma to the bathroom, having decided that the easiest way to clean Emma for bed would involve a bath.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, everything’s fine, Marcus. But right now I’ve got a messy baby in need of a bath and since I’m not exactly an expert, I’m going to have to hang up.”
“Yeah, sure, okay. I was just checking.”
“Thanks.” And before she could say good-bye, the phone slipped from her grip but closed itself upon landing, which in essence meant she’d hung up. She’d have to explain later.
“Okay, Emma, you are a mess of squash, chicken and noodles, and applesauce, and it smells like your diaper is not in great shape either.” She stood Emma at the edge of the bath and wondered how to proceed. “Let’s start by filling your tub,” she said as she turned the water onto warm and began filling the yellow plastic insert. “And we’ll throw in a few duckies. Then we’ll get you stripped down.”
Easier said than done, Megan decided after she’d managed to spill some of the diaper’s contents onto the bathroom rug, which she then shoved out of the way. She tried using toilet paper to clean up the messiest part of Emma’s bottom, but that wasn’t working too well either.
The bathroom door cracked open and Kendall stuck her head in.
“Need any help in here?”
“Do I ever!”
“Looks like a disaster area,” Kendall said as she came into the already crowded bathroom. She rolled up the rug and tossed it out the door, then handed Megan a box of baby wipes. “These work much better than toilet paper.” She flushed the toilet and rolled up and disposed of the smelly diaper, then sat down on the toilet lid and continued to walk Megan through bath time.
“See that rubber ducky with the blue bottom?”
“Blue bottom?” Megan frowned at Kendall.
Kendall picked up a duck and showed Megan. “This tells you if the water’s too hot.”
“Is it?”
Kendall stuck her hand in as Megan was peeling off Emma’s undershirt. “It’s barely even warm.”
“Oh, well, I filled it up a while ago.”
“Let me take the chill off.” Kendall ran the water, and Emma was ready to get in. “The ducky with the blue bottom says the temperature is perfect,” she announced.
“Ba-ba-ba!” cried Emma.
“Is that a lamb imitation?” asked Megan as she set Emma in the tub.
“She’s saying bath,” Kendall told her.
“Oh, yeah, right.”
Kendall explained how to shampoo Emma’s hair. She found the baby washcloths and hooded baby towel and actually made herself very useful.
“Thanks for your help,” Megan told Kendall as she toweled off a squeaky clean Emma. “I know I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Well, thank you, Megan.” Kendall beamed. “Coming from you, that’s quite a compliment.”
“Huh?”
“You’re always so capable about everything.”
“Me?” Megan lifted Emma and carried her to Lelani’s room to finish getting her ready for bed.
“You know how to decorate houses, how to budget money, you’re a pretty good cook, and now you’re about to start teaching school.”
Megan considered this as Kendall handed her a diaper.
“You pretty much have it all together.”
Meg
an couldn’t find the tapes on the diaper.
“Well, almost together.” Kendall laughed. “That diaper is upside down.”
“Oh, right.”
Before long, the diaper was right-side up, Emma had on her footed pajamas and was ready for bed. But as soon as Megan laid her in the crib, she began to cry. And she didn’t want her pacifier. Megan was clueless. Where was Kendall?
Megan went out to search for her and found her in the kitchen removing a baby bottle from the microwave. “I assume that’s for Emma?” Megan asked.
Kendall chuckled. “Yeah, I prefer my milk in a glass.”
“So is that why she’s fussy?”
“Emma always has a bottle before bed.” Kendall checked the temperature on her wrist.
“You really are good at this, aren’t you?”
“I’m learning.” Kendall held the bottle out for Megan.
“Uh, Kendall, do you want to put her to bed?”
“Don’t you?”
“Well, Marcus called and I was taking care of Emma and I sort of hung up on him. He’s getting ready to head off to Zambia before long and I think I need to talk—”
“Say no more.” Kendall reached for Emma.
“I owe you.”
But Kendall was already waltzing Emma away. Megan had to locate her phone. When she finally found it, she saw that she had several messages, all from the same unfamiliar number. She quickly dialed her voice mail and was surprised to hear Mrs. McCall speaking. “Megan, it’s urgent that you call me back. Heather just went into labor, and it looks like we’ll need you to take over her class tomorrow. Is that going to work for you? Please, call me.”
So Megan called and assured Mrs. McCall she would be there.
“Oh, I’m so glad. I was going to just call someone on the regular sub list, but it would be so much better if you stepped in. You know how students can be when there’s a sub.”
“Yes,” Megan said, although she had no idea. “I understand.”
“So we’ll see you tomorrow. School starts at eight, but teachers come at seven thirty. If you come a bit earlier we’ll make sure you get a full tour of the school. And you’ll need to do some paperwork too. Thanks!”
Megan could hardly believe it. She was officially starting her new teaching job tomorrow. First she called Cynthia and left a message about the situation. Then she studied her closet. She so wanted to make a good first impression. But what would impress middle-school students? Kendall and Lelani were the fashion experts, but she could tell that Kendall was still putting Emma down. And Lelani wasn’t back yet.
She played with several outfits and was about to give up when she heard Lelani speaking quietly to Kendall. “She’s asleep?” Lelani was asking.
Megan came out into the hallway. “Kendall helped out,” she admitted sheepishly. “I honestly couldn’t have done it without her.” Then she told them about starting her new job in the morning. “But I need help.”
“Help?” Lelani frowned.
“With my wardrobe. What do you guys think I should wear? I mean, I want to make a good first impression.”
Soon the three of them were in Megan’s room, going over her clothes.
“You want something artsy,” Lelani said.
“But something cool.” Kendall picked up a sweater and shook her head. “Not so cool.”
“And something that suggests authority,” Megan added.
Finally, they all three agreed on an outfit. Megan tried it on just to be certain. “You’re sure this old broomstick skirt isn’t out of style?” Megan frowned at her image in the mirror.
“Not when you pair it with that denim jacket,” Lelani assured her.
“And that scarf adds a nice punch,” Kendall told her.
Megan looked down at her boots. “But what if it’s sunny and hot tomorrow?”
“I’m predicting rain,” Lelani told her. “Oh, by the way, Gil loves your house.”
Megan felt a rush of happiness. “Really, he said that?”
“He said he wished he could afford to buy it.”
Megan frowned now. “Yeah, me too.”
“Anyway, we both feel that it’s perfect for the wedding.” Lelani sighed. “The hard part now will be to convince Gil’s mother.”
“She needs to be convinced?” asked Megan.
“I think she’s a bit jealous. She thinks if we’re having the wedding in a house, why not have it at her house?”
Megan nodded. “I guess that’s a good question.”
“Have you seen her house?”
“No, but I’ve heard Anna describe it. It sounds like it’s pretty big with an in-ground pool and a large basement and—”
“And it’s decorated in, well”—Lelani lowered her voice—“a somewhat gaudy style. Mrs. Mendez loves color and she uses it liberally.”
“That’s true,” Kendall admitted. “I only saw it briefly when I dropped off Tinkerbell before we left for Maui. And it’s a little … well, imagine My Big Fat Greek Wedding with a Hispanic flare.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Lelani told them. “But it’s not exactly my taste. Or Gil’s or Anna’s, either.”
“It might work,” Megan said, “if someone wanted to have a south-of-the-border wedding. That could actually be kind of fun.”
“Fun for someone else,” Lelani said. “Maybe Anna. Anyway, you’ll both get a chance to see the house up close and personal next Tuesday, since Mrs. Mendez will be hosting Emma’s first birthday party.”
“But you wanted to do that,” Megan pointed out.
“Don’t remind me.”
“You were going to do it all in pink,” Kendall said sadly. “Didn’t you already get some paper plates and things?”
“I’ll offer them to Gil’s mother, but I’m sure she’ll do whatever she likes.”
“Tell her that Emma needs to have a pink party,” Kendall demanded. “She’s going to be the princess in pink and she—”
“I’ll try, but I won’t be holding my breath.”
Megan put her hand on Lelani’s shoulder. “I realize you’ll need to pick your battles with that woman, but don’t let her walk all over you either.”
“That’s right,” Kendall agreed. “You need to draw some lines early on. In my marriage-counseling class, they call it boundaries. And that reminds me: I should probably go call Killiki.”
“Thanks again for helping with Emma,” Megan told her as she left.
“This will be a big change for you,” Lelani said to Megan. “Are you excited?”
“I actually am.” Megan picked up a discarded belt and rolled it into a donut, then put it back into a basket.
“Because I know how you can be resistant to change.”
Megan nodded. “Yes. But this feels like a good change.”
“Well, it’s getting late and I have classes tomorrow.”
“You and me both.”
“If I don’t see you in the morning, good luck. And sleep well.”
As Megan put away her clothes and got ready for bed, she thought that sleep might not come easily. She was too excited. It was nearly eleven before she realized she hadn’t called Marcus back. She shot him a quick e-mail, telling him about starting her new job and saying that she’d call him tomorrow. What she’d say when she called him wasn’t perfectly clear. She didn’t want to make him regret his interest in serving God in Zambia. And she didn’t want to make him feel guilty for making her feel slightly abandoned.
Pretty much all she could do when she thought about Marcus these days was to pray. So, once again, she prayed for God’s will in his life. And if that meant Marcus might be in Zambia for a while, or forever, Megan knew she’d have to accept it.
With God’s help, she could.
Fourteen
Kendall
After a restless night of too many trips to the bathroom, followed by a horrifying nightmare in which Kendall misplaced her infant only to find the poor naked baby sitting in a pile of broken glass and choking on french fries, Kendall decided to sleep in. It wasn’t her day to have Emma, and a few extra hours of shut-eye would be most welcome.
But shortly after making this decision, she woke to the sound of someone—a man—yelling on the stairs, calling out, “Anybody home?”
Kendall sat up in bed, rubbed her eyes, and realized the voice sounded faintly familiar.
“Kendall?” he called again. “You up here?”
Kendall jumped out of bed, opened the door, and saw her dad, all six foot five of him, standing at the top of the stairs wearing a silly grin and a pair of hideous plaid golfing shorts. And there, right behind him, was her mom!
“About time you got up, lazy girl,” called her mom.
“Look at you, Kennie,” Dad said as he hugged her. “Fat and sassy.”
“She’s not fat, she’s pregnant,” Mom said as she pushed her way past to hug Kendall.
“How did you get in?” Kendall asked.
“Remember, I used to live here,” Dad told her.
“I know.”
“And I always keep a spare key handy.”
“But we changed the locks,” she pointed out.
He chuckled. “Doesn’t do much good when you forget to lock the front door.”
“Oh.”
“Come on, Kennie,” Dad said, “get dressed and moving. Don’t you know we’re burning daylight here?”
“Where are we going?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Her mom was already heading downstairs, telling Kendall to hurry up and join them for coffee.
“Let me get dressed first,” she called as she hurried back to her room. It would’ve been nice if they’d given her some warning instead of just popping in like this. Even so, she couldn’t help but be a little excited to see them. Of course, she knew what this meant: So long to any sense of control over her own wedding. She huffed and puffed as she tugged on sweats and slippers and hurried downstairs to see what her parents were up to. But when she got there, they appeared to be gone.
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