Saturday Morning (51 page)

Are you going to trust Me?

Yes, Lord, I trust You.

“You want some eggnog or spiced cider?”

“Cider.” He leaned over and picked up Chai Lai, petting Comet, who had glued herself to his ankle. “I’ll throw some more wood on the fire.”

Andy poured the cider she’d made earlier into two mugs, set cinnamon sticks in them, and set them in the microwave. While the cider heated, she fixed a plate of cookies. “You had dinner?”

“Yes, at the airport.” He dusted off his hands and settled back in his chair. “Ah, this feels so good.”

Then let’s stay here. Or …
And this was what she wanted the most.

She set a tray on the hassock and handed him his cider, the cookie plate in her other hand.

“Thanks.” He sipped and ate one cookie in two bites. “Did you have a good drive up here?”

“Sure. The roads were clear in the mountains. There was plenty of snow, good thing. We need a heavy snowpack to refill Lake Shasta.”

“I’ve been thinking.”

“Me too.”

“I really missed you.” Martin held her gaze, steady and warm.

“Me too.”

“So here’s what I’m proposing. I turned in my resignation.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “What? Martin, are you serious?”

“I am. I saw how important your business is, and its growth potential. I’m hoping you can put a fairly good salesman to use.”

Andy left her chair and knelt by his. “Martin, darling, what brought this about?”

“The meeting with Brad. When he said twelve more people on my team, I could feel my whole body clench. All I could think was more hours, more travel, more everything. When the doctor said ‘Change your life,’ I thought I couldn’t do that, but somehow God made me see what is really important. You. You and me.” He traced her jaw with a gentle fingertip. “I don’t want us to be apart for long times again. I used to think that was okay, but not anymore. I guess this heart attack made me stop and think. And then when that house felt so empty without you … Our marriage is more important to me
than anything else.” His voice caught, and he cleared his throat and blinked several times.

Andy laid her cheek on his hand. “Oh, Martin, what can I say? I used to like being here alone, my lavender and all the busy things I did, but not anymore. No matter how busy I stayed, this house is lonely without you, and talking on the phone or e-mail just isn’t enough.”

He stroked her hair and along her chin. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“What?”

“About putting a pretty good salesman to use—if you want to build more business, that is.”

Andy grinned up at him, then tilted her head, watching him from the side of her eye. “Can you plant lavender, answer the phones, fill orders?”

He sighed, a pretend sigh, she could tell by the light in his eyes. “If I must.”

“Till fields, move sprinklers … ”

“I thought that was your father’s province.”

“Learn the properties of the different lavenders, practice your French, take your wife to France … ”

“I’ll do my best. You drive a hard bargain. However, I must inform you that I will not be available for work until the first of March, and I really had hoped for some vacation time with my favorite woman before I start my new position. Oh, I forgot to ask, do I get paid vacation and shares in the company?” He kissed her on the tip of her nose; then his lips found hers. “I love you, Andrea Taylor.”

A bit later, Andy looked up into her husband’s face, where the firelight flickered and love glowed. “What about our house in San Francisco?”

“Well, we need to live there until I leave the company, and then
I was thinking that if Julia comes back by then, perhaps she’d like to lease it from us.”

“What a good idea. She’d love having Fluffy. I don’t think he’d do well here. Chai Lai wouldn’t like him.”

“And I thought we might take Comet along. She just might like the city. There are plenty of places to walk her.”

“Martin, you mean it?” Comet heard her name and raised her head, staring at him.

Martin leaned over and patted her. “Other people have dogs in the city, so why not us? After all, it won’t be for long.”

“More cider?”

“Sure.” He smiled at her, an older version of the smile that used to set her heart to fluttering. It still did. “There’s a package for you. J House fudge. Roger brought it over. He’s a good guy.”

“Yes, he is.”

“I told him I’d like to help on the restoration of that old house. Several of the AES employees are planning to volunteer.”

“Really?”

“Hope said to tell you to hurry back. She’s missing the Girl Squad.”

“Me too. We’ll be there after January first.” She leaned against his arm. “Funny, I never dreamed I’d be looking forward to going back.”

That night in bed in her black nightie, Andy let her thoughts rove. God had answered so many of their prayers in such interesting ways. She’d always thought that home was here in Medford, but home was really where she and Martin were together. And if God could put together friends like the Girl Squad once, wouldn’t he do so again? Of course, He could keep the group together, even across lots of miles. After all, planes flew back and forth every day. Hmm. Something to talk to Hope about.

Epilogue

April 1

“We ready?” Celia shouted.

“Yes!” The response chorused from vendors, those on the street blocked off by traffic barricades and those on the once-vacant lot, which now wore the lawn and sculpted look of a minipark. Customers lined the sidewalks, waiting for the ribbon cutting. City officials, Social Services representatives, folks who’d been blessed by J House, AES employees, and all the friends of J House mingled outside the perimeter ropes.

The Girl Squad stood with arms around one another as Roger handed Alphi the huge scissors. The press and a local television station had their cameras, audiotape recorders, and camcorders running.

Roger raised his arms for silence and beckoned to his wife. Hope handed her baby to Andy and stepped forward to take the mike.

“Let’s pray.” She waited a moment for silence, started, then cleared her throat. “Father God, our Big Dad, we thank You and praise You for all the work You’ve done to bring this day into being. Only You could have worked this all out … ” A heartfelt “amen” came from someone in the crowd. “We dedicate this place to be used for Your glory and to share the love You so freely give each of us, to those who need it. May all who shop here, live here, and worship here feel Your unending love and presence. We thank You and praise You for all who gave of their time and goods to make this happen. And everyone said … ”

“Amen!” The word was a resounding shout.

“Alphi, cut that ribbon.”

He grinned up at her and closed the handles of the scissors so the huge blue ribbon fell into two pieces.

Roger took the mike. “Welcome, everyone, shop away, and join us for the barbeque provided by AES and our friends.” He turned and gave his wife a smacking kiss, to the delight of the throng.

Hope and Roger shook hands with those around them, while the rest of the Girl Squad gathered around Andy and Amadea Faith Benson.

“That is the most beautiful baby I’ve ever seen,” murmured Clarice.

“You say that every time you see her.” Julia gave her friend a hug.

Andy juggled the infant in her bright yellow-and-white matching dress, hat, and booties. “Hey, baby girl, you are one loved child.”

Amadea Faith stretched her arms and made baby noises without even opening her eyes, then settled back into her nap. Dark curls peeped out from under the rim of her bonnet.

“Your mama named you one pretty name.”

“It means ‘loved of God.’” Clarice touched the tiny hand with a gentle finger. “She is so precious. Hope says that since all the grandparents are gone, I get to be the official grandma.”

“Good thing.” Julia glanced around at the crowds. “Can you believe how many showed up?”

“Elephant ears, get your elephant ears over here.” Celia could be heard above the piping flute and the guitarist, the laughter and the buying and the selling. Groups stood around visiting, and a roving man with a camcorder took some footage of the baby.

“Let’s go sit on the back porch in the shade so we can visit,” Andy said, nodding toward the house, now painted a blue gray, with white and navy trim, and a touch of lavender.

“I’ll tell Hope.” Clarice set off.

Julia and Andy waved and paused to chat with people they knew.

“Not a good day for selling scarves and things, eh, Starshine?” Andy smiled at the woman, who smiled back, showing off her new dental work.

“Some celebration anyway. Look around—old folks, new ones. This move is a great thing.” Starshine reached for a package on the table. “Give this to Hope, will you?”

“Sure, you knit something for the baby.”

“Of course.” She motioned to the fine needles she had inserted in a skein of soft baby yarn. “You have no idea how many baby things I’ve sold. Hadn’t thought of that before.”

“You and I need to talk. I’m thinking some of your scarves and hats might do well in my Lavender Meadows catalogue. You willing?”

“Does San Francisco get fog?”

“Good. See you later.” She and Julia made their way to the porch, where they could see over the long tables where people were already eating.

“That was a good thing.” Julia nodded. “Here, let me hold her.”

Andy handed her the baby.

“I remember when Cyndy was this small. So hard to believe.”

“They sure grow up fast.”

Clarice came up the steps with three elephant ears in their flat containers. “Celia sent these over. Said we all needed a treat.”

“Bless that woman.” Andy took hers and broke off a bite. “You know I’d never had an elephant ear until I visited the market that first time.”

“You’d been deprived.” Julia held hers carefully, so as not to drop sugar and cinnamon on the sleeping baby. “Clarice, I got another letter yesterday. The court said that all of your property will be held until after the trial. Sorry.”

“No problem, long as it is all safe.” She eyed the rings on her fingers. “I’m kinda getting used to these. And every time I look at them I think,
He won’t be seeing diamonds for a long time.
The jerk.”

The three chuckled together.

“Can a man join you, or is this a hen party?” Martin held out a cardboard carton with containers of coffee. “I came bearing gifts.”

“Bless you, of course you can join us.” Clarice took one of the proffered cups and lifted it in salute. “Smart man.”

That late afternoon, back at their house, which would soon be Julia’s, Andy and Martin sat in chairs out on the deck in front of the loft.

“This was such a good idea.” Andy leaned back so she could look up in the treetops. “I feel like we have a tree house here.” Martin had the deck built one time she was gone to surprise her.

“They should be coming.”

“Who?”

“They come about five or so.”

“Who?”

“Wait and see.”

“Martin.” Andy shook her head. “You have been so secretive, what’s going on?”

“Just wait.” He poured her another glass of cranberry punch. Comet lay at his feet, her tail brushing the redwood decking.

Andy closed her eyes, enjoying the rustle of the leaves in the slight breeze. “What’s that noise?”

“Here they come.” He leaned forward, scoping the sky. Comet sat up.

A squawking and shrieking noise came closer. One bright green bird with a red head fluttered around and landed on the bird feeder, eyeing the humans and the dog, before picking up a sunflower seed.

“One of the parrots. Martin, you … ” Andy stared at the bird, her smile growing wider as several brilliantly colored birds joined the first and fought over the other feeders lining the deck rail. Even while they ate, the raucous calling and castigating continued.

“They usually come at this time. That’s why I was in such a hurry to get back here.”

“And you never told me.”

“I wanted to surprise you, so I’ve been making sure they have lots of food here. Julia’s been keeping the watch too.”

“I got to see the parrots. J House and the Saturday Market are a going concern. The baby is an absolute doll. And you, Martin, what an incredible thing to do.” She laughed as one bird hung upside down. “What kind are they?”

“Cherry-headed conures. I was so afraid they wouldn’t come today. They don’t all the time.”

“And tomorrow we head home.”

“Right. But this will be our other home.” They had kept the loft for themselves and leased the rest of the house to Julia.

Andy watched the squabbling birds and chuckled again. “Thank you, Martin. For everything.”
And to quote a friend of mine, Big Dad, thank You for being our real home.

About the Author

LAURAINE SNELLING
is a member of the more-than-two-million-books-in-print club, but then, she was a mother of three teenagers with a dream to write “horse books for kids.” Her Norwegian heritage spurred her to craft
An Untamed Land
, volume one of the Red River of the North family saga, which, due to reader demand, spun off Return to Red River, a trilogy following more of the Bjorklund family. Three more historical sets have followed, one set during the Civil War that traces the journey of a young woman leading thoroughbreds across the country to safety and a new series called Dakotah Treasures that follows the birth of the town of Medora, North Dakota.