Wildflowers (26 page)

Steven leaned over and kissed away her tears before they made it all the way down her face. “Now what?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” Genevieve said. “Do you want to say something? I mean, every person in this room will be ecstatic when they find out. You might as well tell them all at once.”

Steven gazed into Genevieve’s eyes. “Stand with me, okay?”

“Always,” Genevieve said.

Hand in hand, Steven and Genevieve moved to the center of the café. All across the floor were dozens of nimble footprints, artistic flowers, and verses of blessing. Genevieve noticed that she was standing on the word “love” from Anna’s verse. It was the most obvious command God had ever given her to do, and yet she realized now how poorly she had
obeyed it. She had loved others sparingly over the years. That would change. With all that had happened in her life and the opportunity to daily invite people to come and dine in this café, that would change.

“Can everyone hear me?” Steven asked in a loud voice.

The guests at the blessing party turned their attention toward Steven and Genevieve who stood, hand in hand, heart in heart, looking as if they had an important announcement to make. Jessica helped to quiet the little children.

Gordon quipped, “You two look like you’re about to announce your engagement.”

“They’re already married,” Mallory said with her hand on her hip. Then with a look of great hope she asked, “Are you pregnant, Mom?”

All the adults laughed. Mallory failed to see why that was so funny. She went over to Genevieve and stood beside her, wrapping her arm around her mother’s waist and leaning her head on Genevieve’s arm. Not to be left out of the family moment, Anna slid over next to Steven and slipped her hand into his free hand, as if she were in the know about her dad’s mysterious announcement.

“I’m sure my wife would like to say thank you to all of you for coming and putting your blessing on this café,” Steven said.

Genevieve looked at him and then glanced at their friends. “Yes, thank you. All of you. This has been, well … it’s been an exceptional night.”

“It has,” Steven agreed. “I don’t know any other way to say this, but, ah … I, um … well. When I got on my knees
over there, God met me in that corner, and He finally got ahold of my heart.” Steven’s voice caught on the last word.

Genevieve noticed he was blinking away tears.

The room fell silent.

“I don’t even know the proper term to say, but I wanted all of you to know that tonight I came to Christ. Or maybe I’m supposed to say Christ came into me. All I know is that I believe. God is now my God. I am one of His people.”

Gordon let out a wild, whooping cheer and punched his fist into the air. Anna and Mallory threw their arms around their father, and the rest of the group smothered him with cheers, tears, and praise.

Genevieve heard little Travis yelling over the noise, “What happened? What happened?”

Mallory told him, “My dad just became a Christian tonight! He’s going to be in heaven with us!”

Whether he understood or not, Genevieve watched as Travis started to dance around in a little circle, singing a lively praise song he probably learned at church. Mallory knew the song and sang with him. She joined hands with Travis, and the two of them danced as they sang.

What happened next was beyond anything Genevieve had ever expected. The room filled with singing, laughing, and dancing. She couldn’t stop laughing and crying at the same time.

Gordon gave her a big hug and shouted over the singing, “Just imagine what the angels are doing right now in heaven! God says that when one sinner repents, the angels in heaven rejoice.”

Genevieve pictured Pastor Allistar standing in front of the stained glass window at church making this booming proclamation. An exquisite sort of power came from a beautiful picture that had been formed out of shattered pieces of glass. It was the same way now, in her life. She thought of the breathtaking image of the gentle lamb that Jesus held in His arms in that beautiful window. Steven was that lamb. Jesus had called to him and called to him. And now the good Shepherd had him back, right where He always wanted Steven to be. Safe in His everlasting arms.

O
n the first Saturday in October, Genevieve forced her feet out of bed when the alarm went off at six. She coaxed herself into the hot shower and let the warm water pelt her back, hoping it would release her sore muscles. All of the last-minute demands of Glenbrooke Days, coupled with today’s grand reopening of the Wildflower Café, had left her with only four hours sleep.

What I need is a dose of Steven’s espresso beans. Or at least two beans—one to hold up each eyelid
.

Cutting her relaxing shower short, Genevieve pulled on her yellow robe and scurried downstairs. The house was quiet.

On the counter, the coffeemaker was keeping a pot of coffee warm. It had been sitting there since five o’clock when Genevieve ground up the decaf espresso beans and
added the French roast with three dashes of cinnamon. Steven had come down the stairs, fresh from his shower, right on time. He thanked her for the coffee, kissed her soundly, and left for the airport.

That’s when Genevieve sneaked back into bed for an extra bit of sleep. That little luxury had pushed her behind schedule. Waking the girls, she told them to get some breakfast before they left the house at seven.

“Can’t we eat at the café?” Mallory moaned.

“No, the café won’t open until after the parade. We have a lot to do in the next few hours to get everything ready. So I want you to try to eat something before we leave here.”

Genevieve sipped her coffee and went to the closet. The new, white cotton blouse she had purchased for this important day hung on a hanger next to a comfortable pair of black pants. She had decided on going for basics and accessorizing with a special scarf that had belonged to her mother. The scarf was typical Swiss. The background was a soft cream color, and splashed across it were dainty white Edelweiss flowers, yellow buttercups, bright blue cornflowers, and delicate red poppies.

Rolling up the sleeves on her crisp white blouse, Genevieve smiled as she dressed. She vigorously brushed her thick, brown-sugar hair, then took her mother’s scarf, folded it in a triangle, and twisted it until it formed a narrow headband. Genevieve wrapped the scarf around her head and secured it underneath her hair in the back with a tight knot. The results were as she had hoped. Her hair would be kept out of her eyes, and the scarf brought color to her face.

Memories of her mother were sweet this morning, as were memories of her father.

You told me to make something of my life that would shine brightly, Dad
. Genevieve gazed at her reflection in the mirror.
And do you know what I discovered? Creating anything that will shine brightly is impossible without God. It’s even more impossible without a clean heart
.

Genevieve smoothed a few dots of sheer lotion over her clean face and put on enough makeup to camouflage the puffiness around her sleepy eyes. She made good use of her eyeliner and twisted open a new tube of lipstick.

“Did you know,” she pursed her lips to blend the color and talked softly, as if her stern father were standing behind her. “I think there
is
something in my life that shines brightly.”

Genevieve grinned. “It’s me. I shine brightly. Not because I’m so great but because God has done something amazing in my life. He brought the light inside.”

“Mom?” Anna called from the entrance to Genevieve’s bedroom. “Mom, who are you talking to?”

“No one,” Genevieve answered quickly. “What do you want, honey?”

“Do you think it’s going to be warm enough to wear shorts?”

“It’s up to you,” Genevieve said. “You can always bring a change of clothes with you. Whatever you decide on, move quickly. I’d like to leave in about fifteen minutes, if not sooner.”

Anna was ready in ten minutes, with a stuffed gym bag
flung over her shoulder. She had braided her hair in two short braids that skimmed her collarbone. Tucked in the fold of the hair fasteners that held her braids were two yellow daisies.

“Do you think my hair looks too silly like this?”

“No, I think it’s adorable. What about you, though? What do you think?”

“It’s okay, I guess. Alissa said I should wear it like this so that, when I paint the kids’ faces at our booth, they will think I’m fun.”

“Oh, you
are
fun.” Genevieve wrapped her arms around Anna.

“No, you’re fun,” Anna countered.

Anna had turned fifteen two weeks ago, and they had celebrated at the coast with five of her girlfriends. Genevieve had used some of Steven’s travel discounts and had reserved a suite for one night at the New Brighton Lodge. Genevieve, Anna, and Anna’s five girlfriends packed into the van and spent two days laughing, eating, beachcombing, and telling stories.

During that birthday weekend, Genevieve saw how fun her artistic Anna could be. Also during that weekend, on the drive home while the other girls slept in the back of the van, Anna had reached over from the front passenger’s seat and had given her mom’s arm a squeeze.

“I don’t know if I ever told you this before,” Anna said, “but you’re a great mom. You’re really fun to be around.”

“No, you’re fun,” Genevieve had countered.

“No, you’re the one who’s fun,” Anna teased back.

They had bantered in the car for several minutes until one of the girls in the back seat hollered, “You’re both fun, okay? Now can you let the rest of us get some sleep here?”

Genevieve now stood with her arm around her middle daughter and gave Anna’s daisy-decorated braid a playful tug. “No, no,
you’re
fun.”

“Okay,” Anna quipped. “We’re going to be late so this time I win. I’m the funnest.”

“Funnest what?” Mallory called from the kitchen.

“Nothing,” Anna told her. “It’s just a game we were playing.”

“You were playing a game?” Mallory said. “I thought we had to leave.”

“We do!” Genevieve pulled Anna down the stairs with her. “We have to leave right now. Are you ready, Mallory?”

“I’ve been ready!”

Genevieve gave her youngest a hug and a warm snuggle. “You are the best.”

“The best what?”

“The best at being ready this morning. Come on, we have lots to do.”

The three of them drove down a side street and wound around the block to park behind the Wildflower Café. The back door to the kitchen was open, and Leah was tossing out an empty cardboard box.

“The dairy order finally arrived,” Leah said. “You must have been getting nervous.”

“I wasn’t nervous yet.” Genevieve joined Leah in the sparkling new kitchen. “But I was getting there.”

“I can help you put the rest of this away if you want me to.” Leah had on a navy blue “Glenbrooke Days” sweatshirt, jeans, and well-worn tennis shoes.

“The girls and I can do this,” Genevieve said. “You must have a thousand other things to take care of about now.”

“Actually, everything is running as smooth as can be,” Leah said. “It helped setting up the booths and getting the road blocked off last night. A few of the people who are selling crafts and things are finishing putting their booths together now, but everything else is good to go. The weather sure turned out nice, didn’t it?”

“Gorgeous,” Genevieve said.

“I think I’ll change into my shorts.” Anna slid past Genevieve and headed for the refurbished bathroom.

Genevieve reached for one of her new Wildflower Café aprons and draped it over her head. It was light blue-and-white pinstriped with a bouquet of bright flowers appliquéd on the bib. She had ordered four of them, including, as a surprise, a smaller one for Mallory.

“I better wear an apron, too,” Mallory said, exactly as Genevieve predicted she would.

“Not one of those,” Genevieve said.

Mallory’s face fell. “Do I have to wear one of the old, stained, white ones? I thought all those got burned up in the fire.”

“No, you have to wear this one.” Genevieve pulled open a side drawer and lifted out a junior-sized Wildflower apron with the initials “MJA” embroidered under the bouquet of flowers.

Mallory’s eyes grew wide. “For me?”

“Yes, for you, Mallory Janiece Ahrens. Your very own apron.”

“Mom, this is so cool! Thank you!”

“You’re welcome.” Genevieve eagerly received Mallory’s hug. Kissing Mallory on the cheek, she said, “Let me tie it on for you.”

The apron was a perfect fit and a big hit. Genevieve felt as if everything was going to fall in place today, just the way it was supposed to.

“Hey,” Leah said while unloading a box of cartons of milk, “I heard he was coming today after all.”

Genevieve turned around. “Steven?”

“No, Richard Palmas. Did you hear he cancelled his stay at the Hidden House last weekend, but when he heard about Glenbrooke Days, he said he would come today after all. I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t turn out to be one of our first guests when we open the door.”

Genevieve looked through the small arched window that now connected the kitchen to the dining area. “I wonder what he’ll have to say about our little café now?”