by Tricia Goyer
“My grandma’s not like that at all,” Andrea butted in. “She doesn’t ever think about what I like. Instead, she buys me strange things.” Andrea sat on the floor with a flourish.
“Like what?”
“One time dishes were on sale, and she bought them for me. She says they are for when I am married, but I’ve never even had a boyfriend! My mom says my grandma is like this because she lived under communism and everything was so expensive. Now she buys things because they are not expensive, even if she doesn’t know what to do with them.”
Emily still eyed the sewing machine, checking out the various buttons. “I suppose I never thought about that before.” Emily turned back to Andrea. “My grandma buys sale stuff too—mostly food, but that’s because Sam eats like a horse.”
A snicker burst from Lily’s lips, catching Emily by surprise. Her cheeks reddened slightly, and Emily wondered what that was about. Emily was going to make another comment about Sam, just to get Lily’s reaction, but more words spilled from Lily’s mouth before Emily had the chance.
“My mom says my grandma is the way she is because she grew up on a homestead and had nothing,” Lily explained. “She lived in a soddie and only had one dress. The other kids teased her so she always has to look nice now. I think she’s trying to be perfect because she never wants to be teased again. Not only that—she wants my mom and me to be perfect too.”
“Lily?” The voice caught all three of them by surprise, and they all turned toward the open door. Lily’s grandma was standing there. She wore a smile, but it looked as if it had been ironed on her face. Her eyes appeared downcast, and Emily was sure Grandma M had heard at least part of Lily’s comments.
“Lily, dinner is ready. Your mom told me to come get you.”
A sick feeling rushed over Emily, and she wrapped her arms around her stomach.
“Uh, okay.”
“Unless you’re not hungry.” Grandma M tilted her head.
“No, we’re coming.”
Grandma M nodded and then turned back toward the kitchen. Emily released the breath she’d been holding. Lily didn’t say anything, but Emily could tell from her face that she felt bad about the comment. And, for the first time ever, Emily wished she could actually do something to help Lily.
They ate dinner in the dining room, and thankfully no one commented when Emily ate only salad and mashed potatoes. The conversation around the table was pleasant, but Emily could tell that Grandma M was watching her words more carefully than before. She even brought up a story about when she’d tried to sew a dress and she sewed the sleeves on backward and had to throw it away—maybe to prove that she wasn’t perfect after all.
Afterward, the three girls worked on posters that showed some of the first train routes across the Great Plains. During the evening they cracked jokes, and Lily seemed different than she did at school. Nicer.
After they’d done enough homework for the night they watched Ever After—one of Andrea’s favorite movies. The only time they weren’t all together was when Grandma M left and Lily walked her to the door. Yet when Lily came back she didn’t have a happy look on her face. Instead she sat quietly on the couch, chewing on her fingernails as she watched the movie. Emily wondered if Lily’s grandma had said something. Or if something else was bothering her. Emily looked at Lily from the corners of her eyes and suddenly felt sorry for her. She couldn’t imagine living in a household where everyone expected you to be perfect all the time.
When the movie was over, the three of them lined up in sleeping bags across the living room floor. Emily wasn’t sure how, but she found herself sleeping in the middle.
The room was dark. The house was quiet, and Emily could hear Andrea shuffling around in her sleeping bag.
“Do you two have many of the same classes?” Andrea’s voice sounded like it was beginning to fade.
“We do, I guess.” Emily said. She waited, thinking of what else to say, and wondering if Lily would comment.
“You should study together more often.” Andrea yawned.
Neither Lily nor Emily said anything. Emily knew the main reason they didn’t hang out or even talk very much was Nicole. From the first time she met Nicole Evans, it seemed, the preacher’s kid had been out to get her.
“Yeah, maybe. That would be nice. And maybe sometime you could both come and spend the night,” Emily answered.
“Well, I did stay the night once.” Lily shuffled around in her sleeping bag.
Emily leaned up on one arm and turned toward Lily, even though she couldn’t see her in the dark. “Yes, I remember. It was last summer when Shae Lynne was in town filming that music video.”
Emily chewed on her lower lip, remembering how horrible that sleepover had been. With her grandmother’s encouragement she’d tried to forgive Nicole for the conflict in the past, but it had turned out to be a complete flop when she caught Lily and Nicole making fun of her room and her clothes.
“Maybe the next time will be a better experience,” Emily said.
As she lay there, she thought about how angry she’d been when she walked into her bedroom and heard Lily and Nicole talking about her. The hardest thing, though, was the fact that she’d been trying to be nice. She had tried to forget the stuff from the past and start over. It just hadn’t worked that way.
But now, as she lay in the dark, Emily realized that Lily was different than she’d thought. There was a hidden part of Lily she hadn’t known, a part she wished she could see more often.
“Tomorrow I will sing you a Czech song,” Andrea announced.
Both Emily and Lily chuckled.
“Okay. Uh, is there any reason why?” Lily asked.
“It’s a song about a train. Maybe we can use it.” Andrea’s voice was no more than a mumble.
Emily patted Andrea’s head. She smiled even though she knew Andrea couldn’t see it. “What a great idea. A song about a train in a language that no one in the class can understand. It’s exactly what we need.”
Andrea answered with a snore, and Emily heard the slightest giggle coming from Lily.
“Emily.” Lily’s voice was no more than a whisper.
Emily turned her head slightly. She tried to see Lily’s face, but all she saw was darkness.
“Thanks for being Andrea’s friend.”
“Yeah, sure.”
Emily waited for more, but there was only silence. She wanted to say something to Lily about standing up to Nicole—standing up about allowing Andrea to join their group and everything else—but she didn’t. Things were going well. Emily didn’t want to mess it up. “Good night, Lily,” she said instead.
“Good night.”
Then Emily snuggled down to go to sleep.
The day had been completely different than Emily had expected.
Better.
Chapter Sixteen
Charlotte pulled her jacket tighter around her neck and patted her leg. “Come on, Toby, keep up,” she called without looking back. The air was cold on her face, biting her nose, yet the sun slightly warmed the top of her head. It was one of the nicest February days they’d had so far, and Charlotte wanted to take advantage of it. She’d spent enough winter days cooped inside. It felt good to get outside and breathe in the fresh air. To walk the gravel road. To stretch her legs and let her mind think over everything she’d learned about her Granddaddy so far.
The crunch of car tires and Toby’s bark met her ears simultaneously. Charlotte glanced over her shoulder and realized she recognized the car. Toby must have recognized it too and had trotted down the road alongside it.
Charlotte turned and waited, waving to Dana. Dana didn’t wave back. She pulled up next to Charlotte, her hands gripping the steering wheel. Charlotte opened the door and noticed the tear streaks on Dana’s face.
“Want to give me a ride the rest of the way home?”
Dana nodded but didn’t answer.
Charlotte suddenly felt sick. She hoped she hadn’t done anything to upset the gir
l. More than that, she hoped Pete hadn’t done anything.
Toby wagged her tail next to the open door. “Do you mind if Toby jumps in too?”
“Sure. That’s fine.” Dana attempted a smile. “I like Toby. In fact, maybe Toby should come to the wedding.”
Charlotte patted her leg, and Toby jumped in squishing between the dashboard and Charlotte’s feet.
Dana drove the quarter mile home in silence. It was only after they parked and went inside that Charlotte dared to ask what the problem was. She walked to the sofa, turned to her side, and patted the cushion next to her. As Dana plopped down beside her, Charlotte asked, “Do you want to tell me what’s going on?”
“It’s my mother. She’s trying to do everything—take over everything.” The words spilled from Dana’s lips like water from a faucet. “She asked months ago if she could help address envelopes. I told her that would be great. Then yesterday before the cake tasting she asked for more invitations. I don’t have more invitations. They were expensive, and Pete and I only got enough for the ones on our list.”
“Are you saying there’s another list?” Charlotte took Dana’s hand in hers.
“Yes, my mother’s list. She knows everyone in all of Adams County, and she thinks they all need to come. I looked it over, and out of about one hundred people I probably recognized ten names.”
Charlotte considered how to respond. Personally, she knew how hard it had been to pare down her own list—after all, she and Bob had lived in Bedford their whole lives. They knew everyone in town, and most of those people had watched Pete grow up. She was sure they could fill Bedford Community Church to standing room only. Yet it had been Pete and Dana’s choice to have a small ceremony with only family and a few close friends.
“Well, perhaps—” A knock at the door interrupted Charlotte’s words. She looked up to see the door open and Hannah’s smiling face peering in.
“Anyone home?” she called.
“Oh no! I look a mess.” Dana wiped her face. Then she rose and hurried to the bathroom. “I’ll be right back.”
Charlotte stood and glanced at her watch. It was barely 9:00 AM. She forced a smile on her face as she motioned Hannah inside.
“What are you up to this morning, Hannah? Out early I see.”
“Yes, well, I saw the sun peeking through the clouds, and I thought I’d pop over and see if you wanted to walk. I thought about calling, but I didn’t want to wake the whole house up.”
Charlotte moved to the kitchen, pulling a mug from the cupboard. “Oh, Bob, you know, has been up for hours. Christopher and Emily are staying at friends’ houses, and Sam …” She cocked her head as if trying to listen for him upstairs. “I haven’t heard a peep out of him. He’s usually out doing chores by now, but we had some words with him last night, and I’m wondering if he’s decided to hide away for the day.” She set the coffee cup on the counter. “Would you like a cup? It’s fresh.”
“Of course. Sitting over coffee is just as good as going for a walk.” Charlotte heard the squeak of the bathroom door.
Hannah moved to the dining room and sat down. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”
“No, Hannah, you’re fine.” Dana sniffled into a tissue. “I was just crying on Charlotte’s shoulder. It seems my mother has hijacked my guest list, and I don’t know what to do.”
“Yes, well, I’d say your mother is one of the most sociable people I know. She was always on one committee or another when she lived here, and I’m sure nothing’s changed.”
Charlotte poured Dana a cup of coffee too and handed it to her. “I’m sure she doesn’t want anyone’s feelings to get hurt.”
Dana sighed. “I know, but she has no idea what a big wedding costs. She and Dad gave us a small amount of money, and Pete and I are trying to stay within our budget. I’m digging into my savings too. I just don’t like the idea of starting our marriage off in debt just because my mother wants to stay in good graces with the Rotary members.”
“I can imagine. I remember staying up to watch Charles and Diana’s wedding. What year was that?” Hannah combed her fingers through her hair, as if trying to stir up a memory. “Oh, yes. 1981.”
Dana leaned over to Charlotte and smirked. “I was only a toddler.”
“Hush now.” Charlotte playfully swatted her arm, happy to see Dana’s spirits had lifted.
“Did you see that wedding, Charlotte? The reporter said there were thirty-five hundred people there. That’s bigger than Bedford! Oh, and the dress,” Hannah rattled on. “I’ve never seen a prettier wedding dress—not even when Karilee Hamlin married that Foster boy up at that big mansion in Harding.”
“I don’t even want to know how much that royal wedding cost,” Dana muttered. “But the money isn’t the point. It’s my day, and I want to celebrate it with those I know and love best.”
Charlotte settled down in the chair next to Dana and added a spoonful of sugar to her coffee, stirring it slowly. “You know, maybe there’s a way to compromise,” Charlotte suggested. “Can you give your mother a limit—such as twenty extra friends—and then ask her to donate more for the cost of food and everything else? I imagine if you showed her your budget and shared your struggles—just like you did with us—and explained your heart, then she would probably understand and be willing to cut down her list.”
Dana rested her chin on her hand. “You’re right. I suppose I just need to talk to her.”
“She’s excited.” Hannah sat on the other side of Dana and wrapped her arm around her shoulders. “Her little girl is getting married. I know if I had a little girl I’d want the whole world to come to the wedding.”
“Thanks, Hannah.” Dana wiped her face. “You’ve got me crying again. And maybe …” She looked toward the window. “Maybe I need to be a little more understanding too.” She turned and winked at Charlotte. “I’ll tell her she can invite 24 guests—an even number, you know.”
They chatted over coffee a while longer, and Charlotte enjoyed hearing more about the wedding plans. “You know,” she offered, “if there is anything you need help with, be sure to let me know.”
Dana’s face brightened. “Really? I appreciate that. You know I do need help with the favors. I’m still trying to come up with something unique.”
“I can help too,” Hannah piped up. “I never mind putting in a little elbow grease.”
“You can talk to my mother for me,” Dana quipped.
Hannah’s face fell. “Well, I …”
“Just kidding.” Dana patted Hannah’s hand. “I wouldn’t do that to you.”
Through the window, Charlotte spotted a car coming down the driveway. The old, yellow Volkswagen pulled to a stop in front of the house. Charlotte’s jaw dropped as she noticed Sam getting out of the car.
“Oh, my word.” She braced herself against the counter.
“Is that Sam?” Dana rose and hurried to the window.
“I thought you said Sam was upstairs sleeping?” Hannah also rose and moved to the window. “Who’s he with? I’ve never seen that girl before. Is that Sam’s girlfriend? She’s kind of cute!”
Charlotte crossed her arms over her chest and turned her body toward the door. Sam waved good-bye to Kendall and then opened the door. He paused as he noticed three faces staring at him. For a moment it looked as if he were going to bolt up the stairs.
“What’s up?” Sam kicked off his skater shoes and hung up his coat.
Charlotte approached him. “What do you mean, What’s up?” She lowered her voice and leaned close to his ear. “Sam Slater, where in the world have you been? It’s ten in the morning. I thought you were upstairs sleeping.”
Sam pulled a small white bag from his cargo pants pocket and thrust it into Charlotte’s hand. “It’s a cinnamon roll from Mel’s. I know how much you like those.”
“You were at Mel’s?” Charlotte felt her heartbeat slow from its wild pounding.
“Yeah. That’s not against the rules, is it?”
&
nbsp; “When did you leave?” She glanced back over her shoulder and noticed that Dana and Hannah had moved back to the table and were attempting to have their own conversation. Charlotte was thankful. There was nothing harder than parenting with an audience.
Sam leaned one shoulder against the door jam leading into the laundry room. “I don’t know. A while ago.”
“Like last night?” Charlotte’s heart skipped a beat.
“No. Grandma, please. It was this morning.”
“Is that all you’re going to tell me? There’s nothing else you want to tell me?”
“Not really. I promised I wouldn’t.” He pulled his work jacket off the hook. “Except that I’m going to head out and get to my chores now.”
Charlotte stepped away from the door and watched as he hurried out. Then she turned her attention back to Dana and Hannah, trying to remember what they’d been talking about.
Suddenly the worries about guest lists and cake options didn’t seem important. Sure, she wanted to help Pete and Dana have the best day possible, but more than that, she wanted Sam to make good choices—to think about the decisions he was making. To consider the company he kept.
What in the world could he be doing this early in the morning that he promised not to tell me about?
Chapter Seventeen
Saturday afternoon found Charlotte at the church again. Nancy Evans had planned another work day—this time on the weekend for those who couldn’t make it during the week. Charlotte was there for the cleanup, but she’d come for another reason too. Instead of heading to the basement, as soon as Charlotte entered the church she turned toward the pastor’s office. The door was partly ajar, and Charlotte stood there and questioned if she should bother him. Pastor Evans was most likely busy preparing for tomorrow’s sermon.
Changing her mind, she turned and almost ran into Nancy. “I was just coming to ask Nathan a question. Did you need to talk to him?”
“Yes, well, I do, but I can do it another day.”
Nancy waved her hand in the air. “Nonsense. No use waiting. Come on in. Being a pastor isn’t about the sermons, you know. It’s about the people. Nathan will be the first to tell you that.”
