Authors: Kristin Wallace
****
Seth didn't remember every moment of his wedding day. He'd been too nervous to fully comprehend everything going on around him. Most of it was stored in his mind as a series of hazy pictures, like yellowed photographs in an old album. There were several crystal clear moments, however. Brief, vivid flashes of sights, sounds, and smells. Beth's father lifting the veil from her face to reveal a gentle smile. Her hand as he slipped the ring on her finger. Her soft voice as she recited vows. The smell of the candles as the wax melted.
Those vivid images always came back to haunt him when it came time to invite a bride and groom to recite their vows. When he watched young couples gaze into each other's eyes with joy and trepidation. Seth wondered if he would ever be able to officiate a wedding without feeling like he'd scraped open an old scab. He always had to catch himself from admonishing said couple to make sure they remembered every single detail because they never knew when a tiny cell would mutate and go on the attack.
He'd made it through this one, though. The bride and groom had left a few minutes ago, and most of the guests had soon followed. Unable to face his empty, garage apartment yet, he'd volunteered to help with the cleanup.
“Hey, Rev, congratulations on another successful ceremony.”
Seth shoved the last of the trash in a plastic bag and turned as a tall, blond man approached. He smiled. Ethan Thomas was someone Seth had gotten to know after he returned to Covington Falls. A former high school quarterback, Ethan had been the town golden boy back when Seth was still tripping over his own feet in middle school. A college injury had ended Ethan's hopes of a professional football career, and now he was the principal of the high school.
Sadly, a shared tragedy had forged their friendship. Ethan's wife had died suddenly only a few months after Beth lost her battle with cancer. Seth imagined weddings were just as much torture for Ethan, but since Maureen Ashley was a teacher at his school, he was duty-bound to attend.
“Thanks,” Seth said. “I didn't know you were still around.”
Ethan pulled off his tie and shoved it in his pocket. “I had to give the bride and groom a proper send off. How would it look if the boss skipped out before the throwing of the rice?”
“I don't think they throw rice anymore. Something about birds.”
Ethan shrugged. “Whatever.”
Seth eyed his friend. “How'd you hold up today?”
“How did
you
?” Ethan asked, shooting the question right back.
Seth's mouth quirked. “Same as always.”
“Right,” Ethan said, a knowing smile curving his lips. “Don't know how you stand doing this all the time.”
“I pray. Give a sermon. Say hello to people⦠pick up trash.”
“You stay busy.”
“I suppose.”
Ethan clapped him on the back. “I'm off. You should do the same.”
He held up the full trash bag. “This is the last one.”
Ethan nodded and ambled across the room. Seth took the bag of trash and headed toward the kitchen. He halted when he saw Julia hunched over the table, her head balanced in one hand. A full plate of food sat in front of her, but unless she'd learned to eat with her eyes closed he doubted she'd touched it.
He'd been aware of her most of the day. Annoyingly aware. She and Betsy had been shadowy figures threading in and out among the guests as they ensured everything came together. All the activity had meant he hadn't spoken to her yet.
Seth took a moment to drink in the sight of her. She was wearing a simple, black dress. Correction. On anyone else it would have been simple. On Julia it screamed danger.
He must have been feeling brave or stupid, because rather than drop the bag and run, he cleared his throat. “Hey there, sleepyhead.”
Her eyes popped open. For one sweet moment, she smiled as if she were actually glad to see him. Then the Julia he knew and lov⦠well⦠the one he
knew
returned.
“Hi yourself,” she said. “I thought you'd gone home.”
“I was helping with the cleanup. Taking out the trash.”
Her mouth quirked. “A man of many talents, I see. Minister by day, garbage man by night.”
“You look beat,” he said, venturing further into the room.
“I feel like I've been beaten,” she said, with a bone-deep sigh.
“You did a great job under the circumstances.”
“I did all right.”
Drop the garbage and go, Seth. Do it now.
Rather than obey the inner warning, Seth leaned against the counter. “So, I keep hearing rumors about the bride's dress.”
Her eyes widened. “You know?”
“One of the bridesmaids blabbed. Everyone's been talking about it. Ingenious of you.”
“It's called desperation. I still can't believe it worked.”
“I only wish I could've seen the look on Maureen's face when you suggested cutting her wedding gown,” he said, with a soft chuckle.
She waggled her eyebrows. “You should have seen her face when I suggested her husband might like cutting her out of it later.”
He tilted his head. “Cutting her out of it?”
“Yeah, you know, on their honeymoon,” Julia said, with a wink.
Seth started thinking about scissors and a dress⦠and her. His eyes darkened, and he cleared his throat.
They stared at each other. Julia shifted, and for the first time Seth could recall, she blushed. He watched the pale, reddish tone rise in her cheeks, and a corresponding heat rose in him.
Next time⦠run.
Morning came much too early. Bright sunlight pierced through the window as Julia pried open one eye. She immediately slapped a hand over her face.
Did it ever get cloudy in Covington Falls?
Peering between her fingers, she glanced at the clock on the bedside table. She'd slept later than she could ever remember. Who knew playing cruise director for a wedding would turn out to be so exhausting? Julia got up and looked out the window. What she needed was a good run. Back home she'd been fanatical about getting in her daily three miles, and she'd been shamefully neglectful about it here.
Within minutes she was pounding down the pavement, enjoying the stretch and pull of muscles. At the end of the block she turned right. Downtown was to the left, but right now she needed open space. Within minutes she was jogging past Lake Rice. The sun glittered off the water like a million diamonds. It wasn't a big lake, but it was certainly picturesque. Surrounding the lake were trees of all varieties from ancient oaks and tall pines to graceful magnolias.
Rounding the curve of the lake, Julia came upon the very falls that gave the town its name. Rising over six feet high, the water tumbled over black slate rocks and gushed down into a shallow reservoir. Lush foliage and flowering plants surrounded the pool of water. She paused a moment to drink in the sight, then continued on around the lake.
By the time she turned back onto the street leading to Grace's house, Julia felt much more relaxed. She bypassed the front porch, in favor of the kitchen door at the back of the house.
“Hello.”
She yelped and spun around to find Grace's husband, John, sitting at the kitchen table.
“Sorry,” he said, with deliberate emphasis. “Did not mean⦠to scare⦠you.”
His speech was clear, but halting, as if he had to search for the right words. He smiled, and one corner of his mouth curled up while the other side drooped down, giving the impression of a tilted question mark. Julia's encounters with Grace's husband had been brief so far, as he spent a lot of time in his room. This was the first time Julia had seen him in the kitchen.
There was no way for Julia to escape and not seem rude, so she conjured up an answering smile. “Hi.”
With his good hand, John Graham gestured to a chair across from him. “Join me?”
Okay, not getting out of the room without a confrontation. Julia sidled closer and perched on the edge of the chair, her mind skittering over possible topics of conversation. What could she say to him anyway?
“Grace is so⦠happy⦠to have you here,” John said, solving the dilemma.
She relaxed. John's crystal blue eyes, which he'd passed on to his son, still twinkled with gentleness and good humor despite his physical and verbal limitations.
“You think so?” Julia asked. She couldn't get over the feeling Grace was only being polite. How happy could she be having the living reminder of a disastrous marriage living in her house again?
John nodded. “She likes⦠having all her⦠children⦠close.”
“I'm not her real daughter.”
“In her heart you are.”
“I think sometimes her heart is too easily won,” Julia said, thinking of her father. How in the world had he managed to fool someone as discerning as Grace?
John rubbed a finger across the plain gold band adorning his left hand. “Not always.”
Julia watched the gesture, her interest in a man she barely remembered growing. “She gave you a fight? How did the two of you happen anyway? You lived next door for years, and then one day you looked over here and decided you wanted to marry Grace?”
“I've known Grace since⦠we were five. We were all friends.”
“All?”
“Grace, Sam, me, and Susan. My wife. Susan passed, and I couldn'tâ” For a moment the light in his eyes dimmed.
Julia could almost see decades' worth of memories flash across his face. She reached for his hand, seeking to bring him back to the present. “Couldn't what?”
“I couldn't be⦠in the house. I would sit⦠on the porch. All day.”
Father and son were so much alike, Julia thought. Both trying to escape places containing endless
could-have-beens
. “I'm sorry.”
“Grace would come and sit with me,” John continued. “We talked. I fell in love with her. I wasn't sure she would ever⦠take a chance. After everything.”
“With my father, you mean?”
John nodded. “He hurt her⦠She was not⦠the same. Sad. Lonely.”
“But you wore her down and convinced her?”
A dry chuckle rumbled through his chest. “I did.”
Julia sat back and rested her chin in her hand, regarding him with a smile. She wished now she'd paid more attention to the man across the street, back in the day. She had few memories of John as a solid, healthy, and vital man. “If it means anything, I think you make Grace very happy.”
The lopsided question mark that made up his smile returned. “Thank you.” He glanced at the clock on the wall. “Church will be over soon.”
John struggled to stand, and she jumped up to help him to his feet. “Are you running away?” Julia asked.
“People will⦠come for lunch. It is⦠hard⦠with so many people talking. Wears me out.”
“No kidding.”
He gestured to her clothes. “You should go⦠get ready. People will not just come⦠for lunch. Come to⦠see you.”
Julia looked down. Her jogging outfit was sweaty and gross. She had a feeling greeting visitors smelling like a wet, odorous dog wouldn't make the best impression. “Right. I'll go shower and change.”
“Do not let them scare you,” he said, with a wink.
“I don't scare easily.”
He patted her cheek. “Just remember⦠most of them⦠mean no harm.”
Her mind latched on to the most important word. “Most of them? What about the rest?”
“They have⦠nothing better to do than⦠get in your business.”
Forty minutes later Julia was showered, dressed, and ready to do battle with anyone not included in the “most” category. For the past fifteen minutes she'd heard a chorus of car doors slamming. A glance out the window revealed a packed driveway, along with more cars parked down the street.
Julia heard voices as soon as she left her room. She didn't get halfway down the stairs before being spotted. The lookout was a short, round woman with snow-white hair. Dressed in a navy, polka dot dress she looked like the grandmother from
Little Red Riding Hood
. Julia wondered if Granny had big teeth to eat her with.
“There you are,” Grandma Riding Hood said as Julia approached. “Grace told me to be on the lookout for you.”
“Was she afraid I might get lost?”
“I think she was worried you might take one look at the horde in the living room and run right back up the stairs,” the other woman said.
Grace wasn't far off. Julia's hands felt clammy, and sweat had started to form on her brow.
Get a grip, Julia. They're church members, not hit men.
“I'm Edith Austin,” the older woman said.
“Austin? Are you related to Sarah's husband?”
“I'm his mother,” she said, weaving a hand through Julia's elbow and heading toward the living room. “I'm so grateful you agreed to help out my son and daughter-in-law. It's an incredible thing you're doing, especially considering everything.”
Julia glanced over, wondering if this was where she caught it for being related to the no-good scoundrel who broke poor Grace's heart. “What do you mean?”
“I can't imagine it's easy to come back here after what happened between your father and Grace.”
“It is a bit awkward.”
“Plus, it's been such a long time since you lived here. You barely kept in touch all these years, and yet you agreed to put your life on hold for Sarah and Eric. It's amazing.”
“Grace was good to me. It's the least I can do.”
Edith smiled. “You're a good girl.”
Julia was still gaping at Edith's last comment when they reached the living room and were instantly surrounded by a ring of people. Edith made the introductions and then started to walk away.
“Where are you going?” Julia called after her.
“I have to finish the potato salad.”