I smile, wishing I could give him a hug. “Congratulations! I guess I’ll be seeing you at Sunday services from now on.”
He blushes. “We’ll try to make the early service, but no guarantees.” We both snicker, knowing that the little girl dancing between us is the reason for his statement. “Shall we get our poinsettias?” Noah asks as we exit the pew. I nod and follow him to the altar where Frank and June join us.
“Don’t you look pretty,” June says to a bouncing Sofie, who reiterates about getting the puppy.
“You and Frank make a lovely couple,” I say to June in a low voice.
She blushes and says, “As do you and Noah.”
Are we that transparent? We better tone it down or someone else is going to notice, and that wouldn’t bode well.
Sofie skips over to Frank and pulls on his pants leg. He bends down and she says, “I love the puppy, Uncle Frank!” My eyes widen at the uncle comment.
Noah shrugs and whispers to me, “Frank said to call him uncle.” I knew Frank was just a big softie behind that gruff exterior.
Frank looks touched at her comment. “I’m glad she has such a good home. I know you’ll take good care of her, Sofie.” The little girl nods solemnly.
We each take one of the potted red flowers and join the crowd exiting the church. Several people walk over and tell us how beautiful the window turned out. Their heartfelt gratitude makes all the hard work and late-night Saturdays worth it.
Pastor Tim greets every person on their way out of the church. This man could make even the most jaded person a believer. His good wishes and firm handshake fill you up with God’s glory like an empty bucket left out in the rain. Whenever life throws me a curveball lately, I remember one of Pastor Tim’s inspiring sermons or his hearty handshake, and it helps sustain me.
When I get to the exit, Pastor Tim takes my hands in both of his large, work-roughened hands. “Rae, you are a blessing, and I’m so glad you found our church. Have a Merry Christmas and enjoy the visit to your Mom’s house.” The man never forgets anything you tell him because I mentioned several weeks ago that I was spending Christmas Day with Mom. “Same to you, Pastor Tim. Thank you for the flower.” I hold up the red plant grasped in my hand and he smiles then says a few words to Noah.
Noah and Sofie walk me to my car. It’s as if we don’t want to be separated yet on this special night. I pull out a small tin from my car and hand it to Sofie. “Merry Christmas.”
She squeals and looks excitedly at her dad. He nods and she opens the tin to find the cutout sugar cookies I made last night. All different shapes, including Santa, Rudolph, the Christmas star, and a dog with a big red bow. I iced them and decorated them with lots of sprinkles. “These are so pretty!” Sofie exclaims. “Can I have one, Daddy?”
Noah chuckles. “Just one for now.” She nods and selects a Rudolph, then dances around us as she eats it. Noah shakes his head at his daughter’s antics, taking the tin from her before she spills it across the parking lot.
We gaze into each other’s eyes for a few beats until Sofie runs into my legs, almost knocking me over. “Oops,” she says by way of apology.
“I better get this one home so Santa can come,” Noah says under his breath.
“Merry Christmas, and enjoy your meal with Ellie and Margaret tomorrow.”
Noah laughs. “I’m fixing ham this time. No strange body parts to contend with,” he says with a smirk. “Merry Christmas,” Sofie and Noah shout and wave as they walk to their car.
I clutch the poinsettia to my chest, my heart overflowing with happiness as I gaze at the two most important people in my life. Who would have guessed I’d fall in love with the parent of one of my students.
Chapter Eighteen
Raelynn
THE HOLIDAYS ARE OVER AND school’s back in session. With New Year’s falling on a Tuesday, it makes for a short week (thankfully!).
Friday night is Frank and June’s wedding. June explained that the wedding is on a Friday because the happy couple are flying off early Saturday morning to Germany to spend their honeymoon exploring Europe. Frank said he always wanted to go and what better time than the present? Frank sure is a changed person since meeting June.
“Hey,” Cassie says as she plops down in the chair across from my desk, the only other adult-sized chair in the room. “Are you as tired as I am?” Her usually neat ponytail is sagging, and her shirt boasts a blue stain of unknown origin, although I suspect finger paint.
I nod and laugh. “Two weeks away from our students, and now we can’t keep up with them.” As I glance at her hair again, I’m grateful for my new shoulder-length cut; it’s perfect for this job. Now rather than trying to keep my long hair in a ponytail or bun all day, I just comb it a few times and it’s good as new.
My colleague exhales a loud breath. “My students were extra rambunctious today. Had to tell me all about their Christmas gifts. I didn’t realize puppies are so popular for Christmas.”
Laughing, I tell Cassie how excited Sofie was to tell Angela about her new puppy. “Sofie even made up a breed for her puppy when Angela bragged about hers being a Goldendoodle.”
Cassie shakes her head in amusement. “What did she say it was?”
“A Farmdoodle!” It was hilarious. I had trouble keeping a straight face. “Wait until I tell Noah.”
Cassie raises one of her perfectly manicured eyebrows. “You and Noah still a thing?”
A spike of worry hits, especially after June’s innocent comment about Noah and me being a cute couple. Who else has noticed? “We’re playing by the rules. No dating. Just nightly FaceTime calls.”
“That man is handsome as the day is long.” My colleague teasingly fans her face. “I bet you’re counting down the days until end of school.”
A blush heats my neck and cheeks. “Don’t tell anyone, but I have a countdown calendar at home. I’m marking off each day with a red X until May 23.”
Cassie high fives me. “You go, girl! Noah sounds like a great, upstanding guy, and you deserve a guy like that.”
We chat for a little longer about our lesson plans for the next week. Principal Marshfield wants to hold a fundraiser in the spring, and Cassie and I are heading up the planning committee, so we also talk about that for a few minutes.
“It’s going to be a busy spring,” Cassie says as she departs.
~*~
The church is tastefully decorated with white ribbons at the end of every pew, a red runner down the aisle, and a candelabra of white candles flickering near the altar. I pause for a minute, taking in the breathtaking sight of the restored stained-glass window as it reflects the candlelight.
“Rae, how are you doing?” Pastor Tim says with a broad smile. “We’re running with a small crew this evening, so there’s no ushers. Do you mind directing people to their seats as they arrive?” He hands me a stack of the wedding programs and strides away.
I giggle. “Yes, I’ll be happy to,” I say to thin air.
After hanging my coat on the racks in the vestibule, I position myself at the back of the sanctuary so I can greet people as they arrive. Is there a bride side and a groom side in terms of seating?
Just as I’m pondering that question, Frank strides up from the front of the church. He again looks like a million bucks in that new dark gray suit. A red rose is pinned to his lapel, and he’s sporting a new haircut.
“I heard you got recruited to greet our guests,” he says with a chuckle.
“I guess you can call it that!” We both laugh, knowing how Pastor Tim operates.
“June said you’d be worried about which side to sit guests on?”
Trust June to think of everything. “Yeah, I was just thinking about that.”
Frank faces to the front of the church and points. “Groom side on the left, bride side on the right. Sound okay?”
I nod.
“We’re not expecting a very large crowd, so ask them to take the front-row pews first.”
“I will
.” I glance at my watch and see that there’s only fifteen minutes until the start of the wedding, so I expect people should start arriving soon.
Frank disappears just as an older couple I don’t know walks in. I hand them a program and direct them to the correct side. The remaining minutes until the ceremony become a blur as more and more guests arrive. I think Frank underestimated how many people were going to attend. Knowing June, she probably invited the entire FaithBridge membership.
Noah and Sofie walk in with five minutes to spare. “I didn’t know you were an usher,” Noah teases.
Rolling my eyes, I say, “I’m a last-minute recruit.”
Noah nods. “Ah, so Pastor Tim requested your help then?”
I suppress a snort. No one can turn down the gregarious pastor. “Save me a seat and I’ll join you and Sofie once the ceremony starts.”
“You look pretty, Miss Dailey,” Sofie says shyly beside me.
I bend down to her level. “So do you, Sofie. Is this a new dress?” She’s wearing a fancy pink dress with a tulle skirt. The only thing she forgot is her tiara.
She nods and chews on her thumb. “Daddy says I look like a princess.”
Noah chuckles. “She’s going through the princess stage,” he whispers.
I don’t tell the poor man that she’s probably going to be in that stage for several more years. “The dress is gorgeous,” I say as I hand him a program and he and Sofie take a seat on the less-populated groom’s side.
More and more people arrive, keeping me busy. Conversations murmur around the church as people greet each other and take their seats. For a low-key affair, there sure is a great turnout.
The organist slides onto her bench and music flows across the sanctuary. I love the robust sound of a real pipe organ. When Pastor Tim walks to the altar, a hush descends over the crowd. He’s soon joined by Frank and another man who looks a lot like him. Maybe a brother?
I slip into the pew beside Noah and Sofie. Sofie leans over and whispers, “This is my first wedding.” The excitement in her voice is palpable. She puts her little hand in mine, and I squeeze her hand back.
Strains of the traditional wedding song fill the church. Every eye turns towards the back of the sanctuary. A pretty lady dressed in a blue knee-length dress walks down the aisle. She smiles and nods to guests on the bride’s side, so I assume she’s related to June. If I had to guess, I’d say she was her daughter.
The six-year-old granddaughter follows, spreading white rose petals along the red runner in the aisle. She’s so cute in her matching blue dress, and there’s several “awwws” as she proceeds down the aisle and joins her mom.
“I want to do that someday,” Sofie whispers in my ear.
My heart flips in my chest as Sofie’s words evoke an image of Noah’s and my wedding. You’re getting ahead of yourself, Rae.
When the organ swells, we all stand, and the blushing bride appears at the back of the church. June is wearing a gorgeous cream-colored knee-length dress. She’s radiant and beaming as she walks down the aisle, her eyes never leaving Frank’s. Her bouquet of red roses trembles in her hands. It must be her son who’s walking with her. I get a tissue from my purse and wipe away tears at the touching sight.
Frank takes June’s hand, and they join Pastor Tim at the altar. I’ve never seen Frank smile so broadly before. He looks like he just won the lottery.
“They look happy, don’t they,” Noah leans over and whispers as I continue to wipe the tears leaking from the corners of my eyes. I can only nod because emotion clogs my throat. He takes my hand, squeezes it, and we hold hands until the ceremony is over.
When Pastor Tim announces that Frank and June are husband and wife, the crowd claps and cheers—the raucous sound echoing around the church. Much to my surprise, Frank plants a big kiss on June’s lips, causing the crowd to cheer even louder.
Pastor Tim instructs the guests to join the happy couple in the coffee serving area off to the side of the church. June had informed me they were serving cake and light snacks.
We walk through the receiving line, where Frank gives me and Sofie a big bear hug. Noah and he exchange handshakes.
June squeals and hugs me tighter than Frank did. “I’m so glad you could come,” she says.
“It was a beautiful wedding, June. And you’re a gorgeous bride,” I say as I return her hug.
June pulls Sofie into the hug and the three of us laugh and hug for several beats. She beams and smiles while Frank looks adoringly at her. “Sofie, you need to meet my granddaughter sometime,” she says before we walk away.
Everyone sits at the long tables, enjoying the cake and what turns out to be finger sandwiches. Laughter and joy flow across the guests. This is a blessed celebration, and I’m so happy Frank and June found each other. I’d like to think that Noah and I played a small role in their romance by recruiting them both to work on the stained-glass window.
“Sofie, I forgot to ask you, what did you name the puppy?” Hopefully Noah talked her out of the Stinky moniker.
She licks icing off her fingers, then replies. “Frankie. After Uncle Frank,” she says matter-of-factly.
My heart warms at the appropriate name. I mouth “perfect” to Noah and he smiles.
“When are you and Miss Dailey getting married, Daddy?”
Noah’s mouth drops open in surprise. “We haven’t even gone on a date, Sofie.”
I smirk internally knowing that I thought about our wedding not more than fifteen minutes ago myself.
She shrugs her little shoulders. “You look at Miss Dailey just like Uncle Frank looks at Miss June.”
Is that true?
Both Noah and I look around to see if anyone heard that proclamation, but everyone is too busy eating and talking to pay any attention to us. When Noah catches my eye, we both gaze at each other like two lovesick teenagers.
Out of the mouth of babes.
Just this morning I counted the number of days until May 23. One hundred and forty days and counting. Can my heart wait that long?
Chapter Nineteen
Noah
TODAY’S BEEN A LONG DAY. I can’t believe how quickly January flew by and now it’s February. Colorado weather can be unpredictable this time of year. Temperatures are in the sixties one day, and the next day, fifteen inches of snow covers the ground. The meteorologists are predicting just such a snowstorm later this week, so I’m making hay while the sun shines, as they say. Visiting each of my clients to kick off the start of tax preparation season.
After my busy day, I barely make it in time to pick up Sofie. Rushing in, I join the throng of parents retrieving their offspring. Rae and I do our usual polite, school-appropriate greeting while Sofie collects her things and I bustle her off to the car. Now that Sofie blurted out about how I gaze longingly at Rae, I’ve been trying to keep a more neutral expression when I see Rae at school. We’re absolutely playing by the rules, so I wouldn’t want anyone, especially Principal Marshfield, to get the wrong idea.
“I thought we’d pick up your favorite fast food tonight,” I tell Sofie after buckling her into her seat in the back. I need to organize everything while the tax discussions with my clients are fresh in my mind, so tonight’s going to be a late one and I don’t have time to cook.
Sofie claps at the mention of fast food. “Can I have a kiddie meal?”
“Sure. And we’re both having a side salad instead of fries.” My New Year’s resolution to eat healthier hasn’t been shattered yet.
Sofie wrinkles her nose. “Fries are better, Daddy.”
We go through the drive-thru and I stay resolute about getting the side salads even though the fries smell delicious. I swear this place pumps that odor into the air so everyone within a five-mile radius is drawn in for the fried potatoes.
Sofie sings to the radio on the way home. The country station plays wholesome songs for the most part, and I don’t mind Sofie singing to them. Some girl’s twangy voice is singing about all the things she kn
ows how to do that a man ought to know how to do. The tune is catchy, and I’m all right with Sofie getting the message that women can catch a fish or change a tire at the side of a road. The song ends right as we pull into the driveway.
“Who’s that lady, Daddy?” Sofie asks the minute we turn in.
A woman dressed in a bright pink poufy jacket paces on the front porch. When she looks up, my heart drops like a rock to my toes.
“Here, you play this game on my iPad while I go talk to her,” I say in a rush before the woman can approach the vehicle. After handing Sofie the tablet, I scramble out of the SUV, leaving it running so Sofie doesn’t get cold. She’s strapped into her car seat, so there’s no chance she can get into any trouble.
“I was wondering if you were ever coming home,” my ex-wife says in an annoyed voice as I join her on the porch.
“What are you doing here, Victoria?” My voice doesn’t sound friendly, just as I intended.
Her eyes narrow as she looks me over. Then she points to my SUV. “Sofie sure has gotten big.” Sofie stares at my interchange with Victoria. She obviously doesn’t recognize her mom because she hasn’t seen her since she was three months old. “When did you move?” Vicki adds.
Coldness drips from my lips. “Sofie and I downsized a few months ago . . . Why are you here?” I repeat in the same unfriendly tone.
She gives me a puzzled look at the downsizing comment, her finely groomed brows drawing together. Vicki loved the other house. She talked endlessly about remodeling this and that, always wanting the latest home finishes. Vicki always valued things over people.
“I want to reestablish a relationship with my daughter.”
My mouth falls open in shock. Didn’t she give up that right when she left us without a word and I got custody? My memory is kind of fuzzy about what exactly happened. It was an emotional time for me, but my attorney will know the details.
“Look, Noah. I’ve changed. I regret leaving you and Sofie. I want to work out a visitation schedule with my daughter that works for both of us.” Vicki holds out her hands in a pleading motion.
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