“Who would do a thing like that?” Dorothy asked.
“We have no idea. But it makes me so mad.” Disgust made her voice vehement.
Her mom chuckled. “Can you tell Kristy loves that park? she can’t stand to see anyone even litter in it, much less vandalize the monuments.”
“I can imagine. If I see anything strange, I’ll let you know.” Dorothy squeezed Zach’s shoulder. “And so will Zach.” she waved at someone who’d just come through the door. “Oh, there’s bonnie. I need to catch her about our ladies’ night.”
Dorothy and Zach hurried off in opposite directions.
Nancy raised one eyebrow at her daughter. “Why didn’t you tell me you had a date with Robert? And don’t try changing the subject with me, because it won’t work.”
Kristy groaned. “Well, as you can see, I actually didn’t have a date with him, so I guess it doesn’t matter.”
“Doesn’t matter” was apparently very subjective. Nancy’s glare quickly made it apparent that it mattered a great deal to her. “Kristy, we spoke several times last week. You could’ve mentioned it.”
Kristy ducked her head. “I’m sorry. Really. I tried not to make a big deal out of it. I figured I’d give a report after the fact.” Her mom shrugged, and Kristy noticed what might have been a glimmer of sympathy in her eyes. “since there was no fact to report after, I guess I’ll have to assume you’d have at least told me if there had been.”
Kristy couldn’t keep from smiling a little at her convoluted sentence. Nancy finally broke into a smile, too, and Kristy could tell she was willing to let it slide. “But at least let it be known that I kept my end of the bargain and agreed to go out with him when he called. Well, actually when Zach called.”
“True.”
They followed the crowd and took a seat in a pew at the back.
Ironically, the sermon was about forgiveness. Something Kristy knew she needed a little extra help with these days. In fact, she felt like there may as well be a spotlight shining directly on her so everyone would know who needed this sermon the most. She promised herself she would study up on forgiveness this week.
After the closing prayer, they made their way to the foyer.
“I need to go to the kitchen to pick up a casserole dish of mine.” Nancy held out her purse and bible. “Will you wait on me here?”
Kristy took her things. “Sure.”
As she sat on a bench outside the sanctuary, she heard someone call her name.
Startled, she looked up into Robert’s green eyes.
“Mind if I sit here?” He gave her a tentative grin.
She shrugged. “Sure.”
He sat down and regarded her intently. “Look, Kristy. I came here today hoping you’d be here. I want to apologize again for my brother. If I’d known you were expecting me, I would’ve been there with bells on.”
“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”
“And there’s something you should know. When I came out to the park the other day, it was actually with the intention of asking you to dinner. I had no idea my brother had beaten me to it.”
It took a few seconds for her to digest the information. “I’m sure Zach didn’t mean any harm.” she decided it would be best to brush off his other comment.
“I was thinking.” Robert looked uncomfortable. “Do you have lunch plans?”
Before she could tell him she’d already made plans to go to lunch with her mother, Nancy breezed over, casserole dish in hand.
“Hello, Robert.” she was all smiles as he graciously stood to greet her. “Kristy, I’m not going to be able to have lunch with you after all. I’ve got to go to the grocery store and make a casserole before tonight. Joy Shupp has been sick with the flu, and I’m supposed to take supper to her family.”
before Kristy could blink, Nancy had grabbed her bible and purse from the bench, said good-bye, and exited the building. Suddenly, she was very aware that Robert was watching her, waiting for an answer to his lunch invitation.
“Well. I guess I’m free for lunch after all.” no way out of it.
“Great.” He smiled again.
He ushered her out to his car. A Honda Accord. Practical. Safe. Kind of like her impression of him. There were worse things to be than practical and safe. Number twenty-two on the anti-Mark list: He wanted a motorcycle even though I was terrified of them.
“Anywhere in particular you’d like to go?” Robert asked as they left the church parking lot.
“Hagy’s is my favorite place around here.”
Robert glanced at the clock on the car radio. “We’re getting a bit of a late start to go there. It’ll be packed on a Sunday. How about we go for pizza? There’s a great buffet place right near here.”
“That’s great with me. Pizza sounds yummy.” Truthfully, Kristy hated the thought of eating buffet food. She always thought about all the people who’d breathed on the food she was about to eat. That little plastic germ guard didn’t fool her. She was sure the germs would find a way through somehow.
Kristy tried to think of something to talk about. Nothing was worse than an uncomfortable silence. They passed Uptown, a restaurant on Savannah’s main drag.
“Have you ever eaten at Uptown?” she asked.
“Only a couple of times. It was good.”
“I go there a lot for lunch. It’s such a neat atmosphere.”
“Maybe we can go there sometime.”
“Maybe.” Slow down, buddy. Let’s just see how today goes first.
At the pizza place, she cringed at the crowded parking. They may as well have gone to Hagy’s. It looked like they might be in for a wait, which meant more awkward conversation. Sure enough, the hostess said it would be at least ten minutes.
She followed Robert to a vacant bench outside the restaurant.
“So.” Robert looked over at her inquisitively. “Do you enjoy being a park ranger?”
“Yeah. I’ve always loved history, and I grew up here, so I’ve always had a soft spot for Shiloh as well. Plus, it’s a beautiful place to live.”
He nodded. “It is. I’m glad Mom and Zach moved to the area. I think it’s good for him to live in a rural area. Keeps him out of trouble.” He glanced at her and apparently remembered the prank call. His face reddened. “Or, at least, too much trouble.”
“I’m over it, Robert.”
He looked doubtful.
“I mean it. Chalk my generosity of spirit up to a good sermon about forgiveness, but your brother has a clean slate with me.” Kristy didn’t dwell on how much easier it was to forgive an adolescent prank than other, more serious matters. She smiled at him. “How about you? My mom said you’re an accountant?”
He grinned. “Sounds boring, doesn’t it? I’ve always been a numbers guy. I was an accounting and finance major. Believe it or not, there’s a lot of satisfaction when the numbers all come out right.”
She’d sensed that about him. He seemed like the kind of guy who liked things balanced.
“How do you feel about motorcycles?” she could see he was taken aback by the question.
“I feel like you’d have to be a little reckless to drive one. And I’d be worried about the insurance.”
Good answer, Robert. Score one for you.
“Aaron, party of two.” The announcement over the loudspeaker saved her from having to explain her random inquiry.
They followed the hostess to their table, greeting several families from church along the way.
“I guess this is the place to be on a Sunday afternoon.” Robert pulled her seat out for her, and she slid into the chair. “It’s one of them at least.”
“Do you know what you want, or do you need a minute?” the waitress asked.
Robert looked at her inquisitively, and she nodded.
“I think we’re ready,” he said. “I believe we both want the buffet.” He sent Kristy an inquiring look.
“Um, actually, I think I’ll just have a personal pizza.” she didn’t w
ant to tell him that she hated buffets. “I love the crust on those.”
“What topping?” the waitress asked, clearly put off that someone didn’t want the buffet.
“Pineapple.”
Robert gave her a questioning gaze.
“You can go on to the buffet,” the waitress told Robert. “And your personal pineapple will be out in a minute.” she turned on her heel and walked into the kitchen.
“I’ll wait until your pizza comes,” Robert said. “I didn’t realize you wouldn’t want the buffet, or I wouldn’t have suggested this place.”
“It’s fine. Their personal pizzas are yummy.”
The sudden silence at the table was too much for Kristy. “So you live in Jackson?” Aargh. She hated first dates. And in spite of her internal protests, this was definitely a date.
Robert didn’t seem to mind the predictable question. “I moved to Jackson after college and have been there ever since. It’s grown a lot these past couple of years, but I think it still has sort of a small-town feel.”
Kristy nodded. “I usually drive over there every week or so, for shopping and groceries.” Jackson was about an hour away. “I have several friends who live near there, too.”
“It’s a good place to be. I’m happy there.” He cleared his throat. “I’m house hunting, as a matter of fact.”
“That’s very exciting.”
“It’s a little daunting, actually. There are so many options, and it’s such a big decision.”
“Yeah. I know exactly what you mean.” When she and Mark had first started looking at houses together, she’d thought they’d never agree on one.
“Do you plan on putting down roots here?” he asked.
She hated to explain about her recent demotion. And although his mother had probably filled him in on her getting left at the altar, she had no desire to share personal information. “Maybe. We’ll see. For now, I’m content with park housing. I’m close to work and it’s not too expensive.”
The waitress arrived with her pizza and their drinks before she could exercise any more of her rusty social skills.
Robert stood. “I’ll be right back.” He strode toward the crowded buffet bar and began loading his plate.
He grinned a moment later as he sat down. There were several different types of pizza on his plate. “You know, the only thing about buffets is knowing how many people have breathed on your food.” He picked up a slice of pepperoni pizza and bit into it.
At least Kristy could see that they did have a few things in common. And unlike her, Robert seemed very relaxed. He appeared to be the kind of guy who didn’t get wound up too easily. Kind of even-keeled. She was relieved when he kept the conversation going. Not lively chatter, but a steady stream of getting-to-know-you talk. The biggest surprise was that she soon found herself having fun. And although Kristy would never tell her, maybe her mother had been right after all.
CHAPTER 18
Kristy swung by Wal-Mart on her way home for a few items that the Four star General store didn’t carry. Near the counter, there was a special display of flats of impatiens. She stopped the cart and gently reached out to touch a bloom. Yard work had always relaxed her.
One of the things she’d been most excited about when she and Mark had gone house hunting was looking at the yards and imagining what she would do. She picked up three flats of flowers and slid them into the basket. She didn’t need Mark to have a beautiful yard. As she stood in the checkout, she suddenly remembered a poem that had adorned Vickie’s wall during college. She couldn’t remember the exact words, but it had said something about planting one’s own garden and not waiting on anyone else to bring flowers. That was good advice.
When Kristy pulled into her carport, Sam’s cute face popped up in the living room window. If she ever forgot to raise the blinds for him when she left, he’d tear them down. He gave her the doggy version of a smile through the windowpane as she passed by. See that? she had someone waiting for her every time she came home. Who needed a husband?
Loud yapping was punctuated by the ringing phone, and she struggled with the keys trying to get inside to answer it.
Despite Sam’s determination to get right in her path, she somehow managed to make it across the living room without tripping over him in her heels. “Hello?” she slipped the high heels off of her aching feet and sank down into the recliner.
“Kristy. I’m so glad I caught you.” Sarah’s words were clipped. Her sister didn’t sound glad, but Kristy opted to give her the benefit of the doubt.
“I wanted to make sure you knew that we’ll be coming to Savannah for the Fourth of July. We’re celebrating Emma’s second birthday at the same time we celebrate Mom’s.” Sarah and her husband, Andrew, lived in Little Rock, Arkansas, near his parents. They made the four-hour drive to Sarah’s Tennessee hometown a few times a year. But only when it didn’t interfere with their schedule.
“I’ll put it on my calendar. How are the kids?”
“Oh, you know. Emma is a chatterbox, and Walker just learned to crawl. He’s growing so fast.”
“I’d love to see pictures if you get a chance.”
“Sure. I’ll try and e-mail some recent ones next week. I’ve been horribly busy lately with Emma in Mother’s Day Out and Walker getting into everything. Plus, we’re redoing the kitchen, so that’s just taken up tons of time.”
“That’s fine. Just whenever you have a spare moment.”
Sarah laughed. “Those are few and far between. Maybe you’ll understand someday.”
Well, that didn’t take very long. Ever since Sarah got married, she’d made it a point to remind Kristy of how different their lives had turned out. When she began having children, it got even worse. To hear Sarah tell it, because Kristy was single, she couldn’t fathom the responsibilities that came with her life. In fact, when Kristy had announced her engagement, Sarah didn’t offer congratulations and excitement. Instead, she’d commented that she was glad Kristy’s “real” life was finally starting and cautioned her about a ticking biological clock. And people wondered why the two of them weren’t close. “Right. Someday.” Kristy was in no mood for an argument, but she also wasn’t going to listen to her sister anymore. “Thanks for calling, Sarah. I’ll see you next month.” by the time she hung up, she was seething. Sarah knew just how to push her buttons.
CHAPTER 19
Kristy took out her frustration on the dirt. There was no need to borrow a tiller. Once an angst-filled park ranger was let loose in the flower bed, even the toughest weeds didn’t have a chance. Sam watched with interest through the window, barking every now and then to make sure his presence was remembered. By the time she pulled up the last weed, she felt a little calmer. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and sat back to admire the freshly worked dirt ready to plant. The possibilities were endless.
She began digging holes in the dirt and setting the impatiens into place and couldn’t stop her mind from wandering back to the trouble with her sister. Sarah thought she had the perfect life. If she wanted to, she could probably have a team of gardeners on standby to make sure her blooms were color-coordinated with her latest kitchen remodel.
“Don’t let her get to you,” Kristy muttered to herself as she worked to get back a happy attitude. “It’s not worth it. And at least you aren’t too busy to know the enjoyment of planting your own flowers.”
It wasn’t until the third plant was in the ground that she started to feel better. Sarah was just being herself. Her new self. The past few years, every time Kristy reached her boiling point with Sarah, their mother had been there to remind her of the past. Just be thankful she’s turned out the way she has, her mother had said more than once.
Sarah was barely a year younger, but at times, especially during their teens and early twenties, it had seemed they were from different planets. Where Kristy was conservative, whether it be in dress or action, Sarah was outlandish. Wild.
Looking back, Kristy couldn’t even remembe
r all of the scrapes Sarah had been in. And if there’d been a bad boy within a mile radius, he’d somehow found his way into her life. Church didn’t help; college made it worse. Even now, Kristy was amazed that their mother had been able to keep her composure. Even sending Sarah to live with their dad for a summer didn’t help straighten her out.
During Kristy’s senior year of college, she’d brought a group of friends home for a weekend. In that group was Andrew Parker. A humble bible major from Arkansas, Andrew was in school to be a youth minister. Sarah, despite Kristy’s loud protests, came home that weekend, too. Kristy had been horrified. She’d been afraid Sarah would embarrass her in front of her friends, a rather tame group who preferred playing board games and renting movies to going out to clubs or bars. She’d just known Sarah would get in front of them and dress outrageously or say something off-color.
So it was no wonder that she’d been completely shocked when she went into the kitchen for a refill of tea and found Sarah and Andrew deep in conversation at the kitchen table. From that point on, Sarah had straightened up. She’d apologized to their mother and rededicated herself at church. Sarah and Andrew married a few years later, and ever since, Sarah had been leading a normal life.
At first, Kristy had been thrilled. She thought she finally had her sister again, and they’d be close like when they were kids. But instead, Sarah took every opportunity to rub her happiness in Kristy’s face. It was almost as if Sarah was a different person toward Kristy than she was to everyone else. And Kristy wasn’t quite sure which version was real.
At least she lives far away and we don’t have to see each other much.
A loud knocking sound brought her back to reality, and she looked up. Sam was practically throwing himself against the window and barking his head off, his eyes trained on the driveway. Kristy looked behind her to see what had his attention.
Someone was standing at the edge of her yard, watching her work.
Love Is a Battlefield Page 9