Authors: Kristin Wallace
“Butâ”
Just then Betsy bounded up. “Hi, Julia.”
Julia had never been so glad to see a familiar face in her life. She even allowed her assistant to drag her around the room making introductions.
“Do you remember Mary-Ellen Carter?” Betsy asked, as they stopped in front of a stout, grey-haired woman. “She lives across the street.”
Julia did actually. “Hello. You're looking well.”
“Thank you,” Mrs. Carter said. “You've turned into a beautiful woman. Of course, you were lovely even as a girl, so it's no surprise.”
“Thank you,” she said, caught off guard by the effusive greeting.
Julia definitely remembered the next woman in the circle. She'd been her ninth grade English teacher. The woman had been in her early twenties then and had been one of the few teachers to make her feel truly welcome.
“Mrs. Shannon,” Julia said, giving her a hug.
“You do remember,” her former teacher said, looking pleased.
“Of course. Are you still teaching?”
“Oh, yes. I hope you'll stop by for a visit.”
Or maybe not. Julia swallowed. “Mmâ”
Betsy gestured to a young woman about Julia's age. She looked familiar, but Julia couldn't recall the name.
“This is Nicole Rivers,” Betsy said.
“You might remember me as Nicole Coleman,” she said, holding out her hand.
A light dawned. “Oh. Nicole. We had chemistry together, right?”
“Right. We also used to go to The Old Diner after school.”
How could Julia have forgotten her? Nicole was the closest thing she'd had to a friend in those days. Of course, Nicole had been skinny as a rail with hair half way down her back then. Now, she was rounder, and the hair was cut in a short bob.
Nicole grinned, as if reading Julia's mind. “I know, I look a little different, but what can I say? I've had four kids. Figure goes to pot, and who has time to deal with long hair?”
Julia goggled in amazement. “Four? Wow.”
“Two sets of twins. You'll have to stop by one day and meet my family.”
“Mmâ”
Julia and Betsy slowly made their way around the room, stopping to greet people. Some of them Julia remembered, but the majority she had no clue about. Most seemed to remember her, though. She didn't know if everyone had come to an agreement, but surprisingly not one person mentioned her father.
Although, what could anyone say without sounding rude or awkward?
Finally, they made it to the kitchen. The place was a regular beehive of activity. Several women were serving up food. The countertops were overflowing with dishes. There was a ham, roast beef, green beans, mashed potatoes, potato salad, and several different kinds of pies and cakes for dessert.
Grace was right in the middle of the chaos, directing traffic. She spotted Julia and rushed over. “There you are. I was worried you'd escaped after Edith left you.”
“Betsy made sure I didn't bolt.”
She smiled at Betsy. “Thank you for looking out for her.”
“I'm happy to help,” Betsy said.
Grace looked around the kitchen. “I think everything is ready. Betsy, could you find Seth so he can pray before we eat?”
Seth was summarily fetched, prayer commenced, and serving began. As the kitchen started to empty out, Julia stepped up to the line to fill her plate.
“Hi.”
Julia looked over her shoulder. Another delicate-looking blonde was standing behind her. Was no one over 5'2” in this town? And where had they put the dark-haired people? Aside from Seth, she hadn't seen more than a handful since she'd arrived. This particular dainty blonde looked like she'd stepped out of a 50s-inspired window display. She was wearing a pink, flowery dress, complete with a little, white collar, and matching, three-inch pink pumps. Her honey-blond hair fell in soft waves to her shoulders.
“You're Julia,” the woman said.
“How'd you guess?”
The young woman didn't answer. Instead, her eyes drifted down and then back up. Julia had the odd feeling the strange woman was cataloging every detail. When the inspection was over Julia was quite certain she'd come up wanting, and this somehow pleased the newcomer.
“So, you're the long-lost daughter.”
This was the strangest conversation Julia had ever had. “Long-lost stepdaughter if you want to get technical about it. Who are you?”
“Oh, I do declare,” she said, oozing sugar out of her pores. “I am bein' so rude. I'm Amy Vining.”
Julia didn't know people actually said “I do declare” anymore.
“When I heard you were livin' here, I got a touch jealous,” Amy said.
“Jealous? Of what?”
Amy leaned in closer as if she was about to impart a state secret. “The truth is, I've had my eye on a certain preacher since I was a little girl.”
“You mean Seth?”
Amy nodded, and her expression turned dreamy. Good grief, Julia hoped she didn't turn into such a sop when she saw Seth in a pair of jeans.
Hey, weren't you going to stop thinking about him?
“I know he loved his wife very much, but a man still needs a companion,” Amy said. “When I heard you were going to be living with Grace, I did worry. After all, you're not his sister, and I had heard several people remark on how stunning you are.”
“I can assure you there is nothing going on between Seth and I.”
And nothing is ever going to go on between us. Right, Julia?
Amy giggled. “I realized how silly the whole idea was the moment I saw you.”
Had she just been insulted?
Apparently, her expression indicated she had because Amy giggled again. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. You are beautiful, of course, but Seth's wife was such a delicate creature. Ethereal and so spiritual. Why, the love of Christ shone all around her.”
Oh, now Julia understood where this little inquisition was going. “A little bit like you perhaps?”
Amy bowed her head, making a believable attempt to look modest. “I could only hope to share some of Beth's finer qualities.”
I've landed in another universe populated by little blonde people who talk in riddles,
Julia thought.
“I see you two have met,” a male voice said from behind them.
It was Seth. Even if Julia hadn't recognized the voice, Amy's gushing smile would have been a tip off. It was truly a thing to behold.
Seth didn't seem to notice. “I was planning on introducing you two, but I see Amy beat me to it.”
Amy was still in full gushing mode. “I simply had to come and welcome your⦠um⦠Julia.”
Julia smothered a smile as Amy stumbled over the title. Actually, she couldn't be faulted there. Julia didn't even know how to describe her relationship to this family.
“It's amazing Julia would be so generous as to come here and help Sarah like this,” Amy continued.
“Yes, we're all grateful,” Seth said, oblivious to Amy's adoration. He focused on Julia. “I understand you had an interesting conversation with my dad.”
“How did you know?”
“I stopped in to visit with him when I got here. He told me you'd had breakfast together. I think he was impressed with you.”
“I like him, too.”
Seth chuckled. “He thought you were sweet.”
Julia crossed her arms and huffed. “I'm starting to think I need to work harder to maintain my image.”
“Maybe a little softness is a good thing.”
“Softness is just another word for vulnerable.”
He took a step closer, his expression serious. “When we allow ourselves to be vulnerable we often discover the sweetest treasures to be had in life.”
“You mean like love?” Julia asked, with a brittle laugh.
“Among other things. I've always believed God speaks to me when I'm vulnerable enough to admit I can't do it on my own.”
“I haven't done too bad on my own.”
His mouth twisted in a wry grin. “So, you've got a perfectly full life?”
“Yes.”
For a moment their gazes locked, then those violins she'd first heard at the softball game started up again. So annoying. How was she supposed to fight with someone when her brain kept running an endless love story soundtrack?
Apparently, Amy had heard enough because she stepped fully into Seth's vision. “Seth, I wanted to talk to you about ordering the curriculum for next year's Sunday school.”
Seth blinked in bemusement. “Sunday school?”
Amy's head bobbed up and down. “Yes. I know it's early, but it takes so long to decide and then wait for the order.” She turned to Julia. “I'm the Christian Education Director at Seth's church.”
Julia decided to escape before she had to endure any further interrogation. She needed to get her brain functioning again anyway. “No problem. You two go on and discuss your curriculum. I'm dying to sample some of this food.”
Amy didn't need any more prompting. She hooked an arm through Seth's elbow and led him away before he could protest. Julia resisted the urge to watch them. Let Amy have him. Julia had no idea what a Christian Education Director did, but she knew about Sunday school, and if Amy was in charge, she would make a much better minister's wife.
Not that Julia was considering becoming a minister's wife. Or that he was considering making her one. If only they could stop having these Hallmark moments. So unnerving. And they were going to stop.
Right now.
****
What had just happened? Seth fought the urge to watch Julia as she walked away. Amy continued to babble something about workbooks and the theological implications of one choice over another. He tried to concentrate, but his mind wouldn't let him. How had their conversation gotten so deep so fast? One minute he'd been teasing her about being nice, the next they were engaged in a philosophical debate. What's more, Julia was clearly as perplexed by their odd connection as he was. He'd seen it in the depths of her blue eyes, along with annoyance. She didn't like it when he challenged her beliefs.
Well, too bad. After the night he'd spent tossing and turning she deserved to be uncomfortable. For the wedding dress comment alone, she deserved retribution. Dreams of scissors and threads coming undone had undone him. He'd woken up in a state he hadn't experienced since Beth became too sick to do more than cuddle in the bed. So, now not only was he alive, he was kicking.
And it was all Julia's fault.
“Seth, did you hear what I just said?” Amy asked.
He blinked away the image of revealed skin. “Of course, Amy.”
“So what do you think?”
Huh?
“I think you'll make the right decision.”
She smiled, so he must have said something right. Meanwhile, he was losing his mind.
And it was all Julia's fault.
The day after Sarah was released from the hospital, Julia showed up at the apartment bearing gifts. She knocked and heard Sarah call out.
“Come in!”
She twisted the handle, and the door swung open. “I know this is a small town, but is an unlocked door a good idea?” Julia asked, as soon as she spotted Sarah on the couch.
“I asked Eric to leave it unlocked because our neighbor is supposed to come by to check on me every hour or so.”
Julia sat on the end of the couch. Dropping her gift on the floor, she took Sarah's hand. “How are you?”
Sarah squeezed back. “I feel fine. Mary is kicking up a storm and not letting me sleep.”
“Well, you certainly look better. The color is back in your cheeks. Where is your husband, by the way? Isn't he supposed to be making sure you don't get up? What about when you want to fix lunch? Or need to go to the bathroom?”
“My neighbor is coming over. Between my husband, my mother, Seth, my mother-in-law, and nearly everyone in this building, someone should be here twenty-four-seven to make sure I don't move from this spot without supervision.”
Julia nodded in satisfaction. “Good.”
Sarah smiled. “So, I hear you came through in the Ashley wedding. Betsy called and told me everything. I can't believe you sewed Maureen into her dress.”
“I think Maureen's mother about had a heart attack when I suggested cutting the dress,” Julia said, with a grimace.
“Be glad her mother was one of the reasonable sorts. You wouldn't believe how crazy some of them get when it comes to weddings. Speaking of Maureen's mother, she called and told me to relay a message to you.”
“What?”
“Maureen says you were right about her husband cutting off the dress. Then she thanked you for suggesting it.”
Julia laughed.
Sarah gave her a quizzical look. “I guess you know what she's talking about?”
“I think you had to be there,” Julia said, still chuckling.
“All right, changing the subject. How is everything going at the house? Eric told me your first meeting with Seth was pretty tense.”
Julia glanced away. “I think he takes his role as surrogate big brother very seriously, and I'm not sure he trusts me. We're managing not to kill each other, though.”
“I was hoping you'd get along better.”
“I don't think we'll ever be best friends. We have nothing in common.”
“I wanted things to be different, so we could all be a family of sorts. Only a better one this time becauseâ”
“My father isn't around to muck it up?”
Sarah gave her a stern look. “You should work at getting past your anger at him. Your dad wasn't perfect, but then none of us are. He did have good qualities.”
“Sure, he was charming when it suited him or got him what he wanted.”
She rapped Julia's hand like a prim schoolteacher. “He was also kind to me. He knew how much I wanted a daddy, and he obliged. He never brushed me off when I wanted attention or treated me like I was an annoying kid. Was he different with you?”