Jacob took off his coat, tossed it across the back of a chair, poured himself a glass of merlot and sat down on his couch. That awful antsy feeling was back, the one that made him think he was forgetting something.
Perhaps, he thought as he took his third sip of wine and looked at the bags full of gifts he’d plunked down in his entryway, he’d just heard the right questions to help him finally recognize the stunning answer to his unrest.
Katie handed Jessica a tissue, then reseated herself at the kitchen table. “Here. You need to stop crying right now before you set me off,” she said with a smile. “It’s bad enough I’ve already had two hot flashes this morning. More often than not lately I feel utterly hijacked by my own hormones.”
“Welcome to my world,” Jessica said through her sniffles before she gave her nose a good blow. “I think that’s one of the worst things about pregnancy.”
“At least we’ll both come out the other end of this—I certainly hope!”
“I can’t imagine being pregnant much longer.” Jessica slumped down in her kitchen chair.
“Hopefully the word menopause actually means it is only a pause.”
“Like ‘We interrupt this program for the following announcement’ kind of pause, right?”
“Like we interrupt your life for the current menopausal meltdown!” Katie said, sending Jessica from crying to laughing. “And honestly, I never thought my offer to have Josh work for you would cause you to cry. I thought you’d be jumping for joy that help was on the way.”
“I am happy, Katie. It’s one of the nicest things anyone’s ever done for me. And I know you told me not to feel guilty, but it just doesn’t seem fair you’re the one who’ll be paying him.”
“What’s not fair about it? Just figure it’s a roundabout trade, okay?—which is exactly the way Dorothy put it. I’m trading use of your decorating talents for the Hookers’ Christmas party tomorrow—as well as mini-mall counseling, of course—for cleaning help at your motel, only Josh and Earl are the ones who will actually do the cleaning. I’m trading Josh his cleaning services—which you’re getting to use—for gasoline money, and May Belle said if you and Josh take it slow with Earl, after he gets the hang of it he can help Josh out when he has too much homework or needs a hand. And I’m trading May Belle baked goods for the party for an advance against Earl’s payment for his labors at the Lamp Post. Voila!” Katie said, throwing her hands in the air. “Oh, my gosh! I just morphed into Maggie Malone!”
Jessica laughed so hard she snorted. When they settled down she said, “The only way this can even possibly be close to a fair trade—and like I said, I need to check with Paul about this before I can officially accept, and after I hear Josh himself say he agrees to this and that his mother is not just farming him out for slave labor,” she laughed again, “is if I begin right now to pay out my end of the deal and it’s already ten-thirty. Sarah Sue and I need to be back at the Lamp Post no later than one since I expect the first of my check-ins around two.”
“Deal.”
“Oh, Katie, I can’t tell you how much of a relief it is to know I’ll have help over the holidays!”
“Good. Now where should we start for tomorrow’s party?” Katie asked, whirling on her heels, already heading for the living room.
“Since you’ve got the tree done—and OH!” she exclaimed getting her first look at it. “It looks beautiful!” She nodded her head, cast her eyes around the room while she squinted, her decorating genius at work. “Let’s start by rearranging your fresh garlands. It’s not that you’ve done a bad job with those, it’s just that it could be better.”
“Thanks, I think.”
“This is going to be so much fun,” Jessica said, a small wave of nausea rippling through her. But even her morning sickness was settling down a little. Maybe there was light at the end of the tunnel, help for the weary, hope for the soon-to-be mother of two babies in diapers.
25
Katie hustled to her ringing phone. It was 9:30 A.M. already. The Christmas party guests would be arriving at 2. The hands on the clock seemed to be flying. “Hello,” she said somewhat breathlessly.
“Katie, Jacob Wetstra. Catch you in the middle of something?”
“Funny.” She assumed he was joking. He knew darn well the party was starting in a few hours. “I guess you made it back into town then. You are calling from your mom’s, right?” Katie didn’t admit she’d seen him entering the street-level entryway to Rick Lawson’s office early yesterday morning when she’d stopped by the Taninger building before Jessica came over. She’d watched to see if Rick’s office light came on, which it did not long after he entered the building. She wondered what Jacob was doing back there, knowing his volunteer job for the Lawsons was over. What she didn’t know was that he’d caught a glimpse of her SUV disappearing off the square, sorry to have missed the chance to chat, see how the mini mall and party preparations were coming along. At least now he had an excuse to call.
“Are you ready for the town of Partonville to descend on you? Or are you in a tizzy, as Mom says?”
“Tizzy. One hundred percent tizzy.”
“Good. It would have worried me to hear anything else.”
“Because?”
“Because that would make you a little too organized to believe.” She detected the lilt of teasing in his voice. “Mom said people are chomping at the bit to party, especially after Rick’s death. Oh, and of course they’re anxious to snoop around your house,” he said, as though it were an afterthought.
Katie sighed. “I hope I’m up for this.” She sighed again. Jacob was surprised by her admission since it wasn’t like her to show even a smidgen of weakness.
“Mom wondered if you might need me to come over and help with anything.”
“No, I think we’ve got everything under control. You’re bringing her over a couple hours early anyway, right?”
“M-hm. About two-and-a-half hours from now. I’ve also been instructed to stop by May Belle’s to pick up whatever so you ladies can get it set up, too.”
“Good. I’m glad we’re all on the same page. Since your mother and I are co-hosting I want to make sure we’re presenting a united front and that she feels this is as much her party as it is mine.” Jacob wondered if Katie had any idea how hard it was for his mom not to be holding her usual party out at the farm this year. “There’s not too much for her to do when she gets here, but we should get our things organized and make sure we have enough room for everything and everybody. I’m glad she can come early and put things where and how she wants them. This must be difficult for her.”
“She’s doing okay, but yes, I think she’d admit it is difficult. Co-hosting helps though.”
“Good. We’ve gone over the traditional menu several times so I think we have the bases covered.”
“You didn’t cook a turkey, did you?” he asked, teasing her about her disastrous first attempt with one for the town’s Thanksgiving gathering.
“I did not.”
“Good. Then the menu will probably be fine.”
“Very funny,” she said, trying to sound annoyed. “What I have done, though, is just about run Josh ragged sending him to the store for this and that, setting out dishes, cleaning the bathrooms and the bedrooms, the spare room. I was going to have people just toss their coats on my bed upstairs but then I figured if it got as cold today as they were predicting—which it has—there’d be too many coats to fit, so Josh and I kicked it into high gear this morning and cleaned up the spare bedroom we use for storage.”
“I’ll have to check it out, see how you transformed my brother’s old room into a closet for a party,” he said flatly. Silence. “Katie, I’m just kidding.” She acknowledged that she’d known that, but he wondered. “If you change your mind about needing help, let me know. Besides, I’m anxious to check out Josh’s new wheels. And by the way, Mom told me about your great trading idea. That was very kind of you to offer to help out the Joys and Justices in t
hat way.”
“Hey! First of all, the actual trading concept was your mom’s, and I’m not doing this to help Jessica or Earl or anyone else. I’m doing this to teach Josh some responsibility. Just make sure you remember that when you talk to him, since he has this strange idea you’re in his corner.” She’d tried to mimic Jacob’s dry sense of humor, but she’d done a lousy job and simply sounded snarky.
He got her drift anyway. “Ah, you’ve got me pegged. But just the same, I’ll try not to interfere with your important moral lessons, Ms. Durbin. By the way, has he told you yet how fast that thing can go from zero to sixty?”
“Jacob! Don’t tell me he . . .” Jacob laughed. He could really pull her chain. “Listen, I’ve got too much to do for this kind of torment. I’ll see you and your mom shortly. Tell May Belle I said hi and thanks. Hey! How are she and Earl getting here?”
“I told Mom we should just bring them with us when we come but May Belle thinks there’ll be enough cooks in the kitchen. I guess they’re coming with someone else.”
“Try harder to convince May Belle to come with you, okay? I have a feeling she’ll be just the calming effect we all need.”
“You don’t find me calming?”
Such a loaded question, she thought. “Depends.”
It was just as Dorothy and May Belle had predicted. Cora Davis was the first to arrive, and without her husband. She pulled up the driveway at 1:45. When she entered the house, her eyes casting about so quickly they looked like lights on a pinball machine, she said, “Oh! Am I the first one here? I had no idea I was early!”
“Right,” Dorothy whispered into May Belle’s ear, causing May Belle to cover her mouth and snicker. But Cora wasn’t there long before a snake of vehicles started making its way up the driveway. Josh wondered if he shouldn’t leave Shelby to fend for herself while he went outside to try to direct traffic. “Stay with your sweetie,” Dorothy said, smiling at Shelby, who looked stunning in her green blouse and slacks, a beautiful Christmas barrette in her hair—no doubt purchased by her Grannie M. “They’ll all figure out the parking, they always do. Also, you better stay near your mom while people are arriving in case she needs you to do something.”
“Don’t worry,” Jacob said, “we’re both on high alert in case either of our mothers needs anything, like a rescue squad should the troops become restless and decide to put an end to Durbinville right here and now.”
Josh high-fived Jacob. “Good one!”
“Such good—and devilish—boys we have, Katie,” she said, shaking her head. “Jacob Henry, you keep your voice down. Let’s don’t be stirring up trouble.”
“No need to worry,” Katie said to Jacob. “With your mom’s help we’ve come up with the perfect plan for a counterattack. We’re going to kill them with kindness, assurance and hopefully Doc’s special eggnog.” May Belle and Dorothy busted out laughing, as did Jacob.
As if on cue, Doc walked up behind Katie. “Well, Katie Durbin,” he said, “I guess you have learned everything important about hosting this party! Now, if you will show me to the special punch bowl, I’ll get right to it,” he said, rattling the bag with the mysterious contents in his hand. Dorothy ushered him over to the punch bowl on the left, its usual placement. Of course, Doc never brought more than a cup or two of his special brew; it was actually more the idea of his contribution that made everyone who dared try it extra merry.
Katie and Dorothy had their hands full greeting everyone, showing them to the coat room, pointing out food, hooking up folks who were looking for each other, asking Josh and Shelby if they’d mind running some of the coats upstairs for people whose legs weren’t what they used to be, dishing up punch and conducting mini tours for those who actually asked rather than just nosed through the house on their own. But in spite of the fact Katie felt an occasional prickle at the obvious gawkers, she was also beginning to understand why Dorothy had loved hosting this party every year. The entire house, which lent itself surprisingly well to large groups, was filled with the sounds of joy and laughter. And Jessica was right: people loved discovering the mistletoe as they entered, even though Katie thought it was hokey and had tried to talk her out of it. Mice aside, the place was suddenly growing on her.
George Gustafson was one of the last to arrive. He’d argued with himself and his wife, Beulah, whether they should even drop by, but nearly three hours after the party started Beulah finally badgered him into it, chastising him for being ridiculous and announcing that she was going whether he did or not. When she put her coat on he knew she was serious. He also knew—which is just the way Beulah’d played it—that it just wouldn’t look right for her to show up without him, so he begrudgingly donned his tie and off they went. Upon arriving Beulah was none too sad to learn they’d just missed the Best of the Hookers’ Moments including Maggie’s tattooed ankle show-and-tell. Beulah’d always been jealous of Maggie’s flirty ways (she’d seen that woman bat her eyes at George) and gorgeous gams, especially since her legs had been covered with varicose and spider veins at such an early age.
When George first set eyes on the tree he was happy it seemed small compared to all of Dorothy’s past trees. Even if Katie were still here next year, which he sincerely doubted, he’d be danged if he’d cut down that treasure of a tree for the likes of her. Although he had to admit the tree was beautifully decorated, and the fresh garlands made the whole house smell so good it gave him a slight twinge of pride to have provided them. Well, provided them for a hefty fee, that is, cutting her no bulk discount the way he did most of his regulars. But by golly she could afford it. He strolled around the room snacking on his piled-high plate of food, taking note of every rich-looking, fancy-schmancy thing the City Slicker had on display. Such a showoff, he thought. Then he saw Sam and Cora holding court in a corner of the living room so he sidled up to them, joining their tight little circle just in time to hear the words “Durbinville for sure!” George chimed right in. He’d now seen proof of “that woman’s lofty ways” with his very own eyes.
Dorothy noticed George congregating with Cora and Sam and knew the perfect opportunity had arrived. She flagged Katie, Gladys and Herb over. (She couldn’t catch Edward Showalter’s eye. He was glued to Nellie Ruth who was talking nonstop about the wonders of Morning and Midnight.) Dorothy discreetly nodded her chin toward the smoldering corner clique. “Now’s the time, folks,” she said in a low voice. When Katie asked her if she was ready, she bowed out saying, “You three need to stand alone. You’re the real movers and shakers, and I’d say this is your perfect opportunity. I’ll just stay right here and pray.” The trio took a collective deep breath before readying to infiltrate the group and tackle things head on, “play offensive ball,” as Herb had put it. Just as they were taking their first steps across the room, Dorothy added, “And remember, we’re all—every single one of us in this room—Partonvillers and for Partonville!”
Jacob and Pastor Delbert sat in the front seat of Josh’s new truck, Josh behind the wheel. “Wish I could take you for a spin,” Josh said, clearly pouting about the circumstances. “If I’d have been thinking ahead I would have parked down at the end of the lane.” Party attendees’ cars and trucks were not only blocking him in but they were scattered throughout the yard and halfway down the lane.
“That’s alright, sport,” Delbert said. “We’ve got plenty of time to catch a ride with you some time. I have a feeling I’ll be seeing a lot of this truck circling the square, cruising from here to there, especially since you’re going to be working part-time for the Joys. You can knock on the church door any time and kidnap me. You know what they say, ‘Pastor writing sermon. Please interrupt.’”
“So you’ve already heard about the job thing, huh?” Josh said, his voice sinking.
“Yes. It’s one of the hot topics at the party. But I don’t know why you sound so glum about it,” Delbert said. Out of habit he put his pointer finger to the bridge of his nose to push up his glasses, but once again ended up feeling foo
lish since he kept forgetting he was wearing contact lenses. (If he’d have known how easy soft contacts would be to get used to, he’d have made the leap years ago.) “Do you have any idea how many prayers have been swimming around for those two to be able to manage their business and finances through this pregnancy and the birth of a new mouth to feed? And May Belle is nearly popping her buttons, she’s so proud to be announcing Earl’s new job. She’s beyond grateful to you, Josh.” Delbert opened the glove compartment and took a peek. “Lots of room here. Nice.”
“Not to mention you’ll need the bucks to keep this gas guzzler’s tank topped off,” Jacob added while scanning his eyes around to make sure Josh didn’t already have an ice scraper with an extendable handle, sunshield with a cool graphic or roadside safety kit including flares. He didn’t see anything but a short-handled scraper with an antifreeze advertisement on it, which made him feel very good about his shopping efforts.
Josh had his right hand on the steering wheel while mindlessly zipping and unzipping his jacket with his left hand, finally stopping mid-zip to take a deep breath. “I guess you’re both right.” It was nice to have the full attention of the two men even if he didn’t particularly like what they were saying. “It’s just that between school, homework and now a part-time job, I’ll hardly have time to enjoy this thing let alone spend time with Shelby.”
Dearest Dorothy, Merry Everything! Page 22
