Until the Harvest (39 page)

And then Margaret’s letter came like permission to come home and claim the life he wanted more than anything. It was when he made that decision that he felt not only the pleasure it would have given Dad, but the pleasure it did give God. He punched his pillow and rolled over. He was going to marry Margaret and make this farm their own. He couldn’t wait.

They were getting married—in August. Margaret held her hand up, tilted her head to watch light catch in the diamond. Henry said he wished it were bigger, but playing music didn’t pay quite as well as he hoped. He laughed and said he used the moonshine money to pay off his tuition, and she’d just have to wait for him to earn some honest money. She didn’t care one way or the other. She was getting married, and they would live here in the little gray house together. And Mayfair could stay as long as she wanted.

Margaret would call this a dream come true, if she’d ever had the courage to dream anything as good as this. She went to get ready for bed, although she doubted she’d be able to sleep a wink.

The next morning, Margaret felt shy when Henry came by the farmhouse as they were finishing breakfast. He said he’d already eaten, but he managed to force down a stack of Margaret’s buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup just the same. He was halfway out the door when he ducked back in.

“Oh, yeah. Mom wants to do an engagement party for us,” he said to Margaret. “Sadie’s coming home for the Fourth of July, and she figured it would be the perfect time. I’m not sure she’ll be able to come again for the wedding, so Mom wanted to have a party now.” He rolled his eyes. “I guess this is the kind of thing you girls like to do.”

Margaret smiled. She liked being included in “you girls.” She’d always felt kind of alone before this. “Sounds great. I’ll give Perla a call.”

Henry nodded and headed out to start the day’s chores, Mayfair on his heels. Margaret smiled. What were the odds
that she would find a good man who loved her and her sister? She still wasn’t a hundred percent sure what Henry saw in her, but she hoped whatever it was would last forever.

Henry didn’t know about this engagement party business. Wasn’t a wedding enough? Still, it was worth it to come out on the other side with the woman he loved. He laughed aloud as he finished hoeing the row of popcorn Mayfair insisted on planting. Who would’ve thought? Before Dad died he’d barely noticed Margaret, but somehow that morning—the worst morning of his life—she’d come to his attention. And he’d been noticing her more and more ever since. He thought about a Scripture Ray had written down and sent him in a letter.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

He thought he remembered that was from Romans chapter eight. Good stuff. Who knew God could use losing his father to lead him to the woman who would be his wife? He guessed he’d been too wrapped up in his own world before. Well, he still missed Dad, but at least something good—no, great—was coming out of it.

Margaret wondered if that business of breathing into a brown paper bag really worked. She felt like she was going to hyperventilate. Most of the town of Wise was out there in the community hall, and she wasn’t sure she could face them. They’d know she wasn’t pretty enough or smart enough for Henry Phillips. They’d know he was basically marrying a farmhand. And while she’d normally worry that her mother might come, now she was worried that everyone knew her mother wasn’t there because she was at a clinic where she could work through
her “issues.” That’s what Dad said when he called to let them know Lenore was checking into alcohol rehabilitation. He said Mayfair’s illness and the loss of both daughters had been more than she could stand. Margaret wondered what had driven her to drink before all that, but she didn’t say it out loud. She just made the appropriate comments and asked her father to let them know when Mom came home. Not that it mattered, but it seemed like the right thing to say.

Now she wished there were a place she could go and get away from everything. She’d been out there for thirty minutes, smiling and shaking hands, being hugged by women she barely knew. Everyone acted nice, but she couldn’t help thinking they were looking at her with a critical eye. She’d been hiding in the ladies’ room for ten minutes, hoping no one else would come in. She heard a hand hit the door, and her heart sank.

“Why, Margaret, what are you doing in here?”

Margaret tried to smile at Sadie—her future sister-in-law. She liked Sadie, who was a little on the plump side and very businesslike. She tended to get to the point, and Margaret actually believed her when she said she was glad Henry had the good sense to marry her.

“I’m feeling a little—”

“Overwhelmed. Of course you are. Mother never does things by halves. We could have just had a nice family supper, but she had to invite the whole town. Now they’ll be mad if they aren’t invited to the wedding, too.” Sadie sighed and fluffed her strawberry blond curls in the mirror. “I can never get my hair to do right. You’re smart, keeping your hair put up.”

Margaret touched her hair, trying to smooth the waves and frizz she’d mostly tamed for the evening. She’d love to have actual curls like Sadie’s. Margaret began to wonder if Henry would be willing to elope. She wasn’t sure she could go through a wedding where there would be even more attention on her.
And while she’d been excited about getting a dress, now she wondered what people would think of her choice. They’d judge and measure every little thing, and there would be no hiding in the background.

Panic rose in Margaret’s throat, and she wanted nothing more than to run home and hide in the cowshed with Bertie. She started for the door, but as she extended her arm, the door flew open, and Perla stood there, looking flushed.

“Margaret, you’d better come. It’s Mayfair.”

Margaret rushed into the room she’d been trying to escape. Mayfair had been doing so well. Had she eaten too much cake? What if she went into a coma again? It could kill her.

Margaret stood in the main room, looking around desperately for her sister, probably lying prostrate on the floor. She never should have left her. Crowds were always overwhelming, and now she was having an episode on top of everything else. But instead of seeing her sister collapsed in a corner, she saw a room full of quiet people turned toward the small raised dais at the end of the hall. Mayfair stood there, looking pale, but perfectly fine otherwise.

“I have something to say.” Mayfair’s voice was soft but clear. Margaret felt rooted to the spot. “My sister is going to marry Henry.” A smile crept across her lips. “And the best part is that I still get to live with them.”

Laughter rippled across the crowd.

“I think they’ve had a hard time figuring out that they love each other.” Mayfair ducked her head, but her voice grew stronger. “I knew it from the start, but sometimes I know things like that. Love is easy to see if you’re looking for it. I guess I’ve always liked looking out for love.” She lifted her chin and found Margaret in the crowd. “Margaret’s always loved me, and I’m glad I’m not the only one anymore. She’s got a lot of love in her heart.”

She let her gaze drift across the faces. Margaret feared that the magnitude of the crowd would overwhelm her baby sister. Would she faint? Run from the stage? But Mayfair didn’t do either, and Margaret suddenly realized her sister was growing into a young woman.

“I just wanted to say to everyone that it’s good for us to love one another. Like sisters or friends or family. You know, the way God loves us no matter what. It’s the best thing there is, and I’m glad Margaret and Henry have it.” She released her arms and tucked one foot behind the other. “Anyway, I can’t wait for the wedding.”

“Neither can Henry,” came a masculine voice from the crowd. They erupted in laughter, and several ladies gathered around Mayfair, hugging her and kissing her cheeks.

Margaret wound her way through dozens of people who wanted to congratulate her until she finally found her sister. “That was a lovely speech,” she said. “I’m proud of you for getting up in front of all these people.”

Mayfair clasped her hands around Margaret’s waist. “It’s not so bad when love keeps you safe. It’s even better than angels,” she said.

Margaret closed her eyes and held her sister close. Another set of arms wrapped around them both, and she looked to see Henry holding them tight. She bit her lip hard and hugged Mayfair while leaning into the man she loved. Maybe no one had shown her what love between a man and a woman should look like, but this surely felt right. Maybe her sister was a miracle worker after all.

“Come with me.” Most of the guests had gone when Henry grabbed Margaret’s hand and tugged her toward the door. “I want to show you something.”

Margaret thought she should probably stay and help clean up, but instead she let herself be pulled toward Henry’s truck. He opened the door and helped her inside. They drove in companionable silence to Laurel Mountain Church. Margaret knew this is where they would get married. Maybe Henry wanted to talk about the ceremony.

They parked, and when Henry helped her down he didn’t let go of her hand. His skin was calloused and warm. She let herself imagine what it would be like when he touched more than her hand. She flushed and steered her thoughts back to the wedding. First things first.