Sarasota Dreams

by Mayne, Debby

  Shelley tilted her head and gave him a questioning look. “What’s that?”

  “Father says you and Jeremiah have been seeing quite a bit of each other.”

  She felt the heat rise to her cheeks as she looked down at the table. “Mother doesn’t like him.”

  “It’s not that she doesn’t like him, Shelley. Mother is afraid of losing another child.”

  “But she hasn’t lost a child.”

  “I know that, and you know that,” Paul said. “But as far as Mother is concerned, she lost me when I married Tammy. And you know what happened when William came along. I think she feels she’s being punished.”

  “Now one is punishing Mother but herself.”

  “Yes, I’ve known that for a long time,” Paul said. “You were forced into being a caretaker when you were quite young, and Mother has always used whatever she could as an excuse to retreat.”

  “I don’t want to dwell on what I can’t change.”

  Paul nodded. “So how is everything here at work? I see Mr. Penner hired someone new.”

  Shelley took advantage of the change of subject and told him how hard of a worker Jocelyn was. “I like her. She’s funny and interesting.”

  After they finished their coffee, Paul stood. “I’m going back to see about Mother. Thanks for filling me in on what’s happening. One of the things I need to do is bring the kids around to see their grandmother. Maybe that’ll remind her that she has gained more than she’s lost.”

  Paul left before the lunch rush started. Jocelyn worked as hard as ever, in spite of the deeper bruises still evident on her cheek and right arm. She seemed to enjoy the fact that some of her regular customers made a fuss over her.

  Business slowed quickly by midafternoon. Mr. Penner approached Shelley. “Why don’t you go on home now? You have been through quite a bit over the past several weeks, and I want you to get some rest.”

  “I can stick around,” she argued.

  “Neh. I have Jocelyn here to help me now.”

  A stab of jealousy shot through Shelley, but she quickly recovered. “Ya, it’s nice to have Jocelyn back.”

  “I missed this place,” Jocelyn said from behind her. “Strange as it may sound, you all are starting to feel like family to me.”

  Shelley spun around to face Jocelyn. “That isn’t strange at all.”

  Tears sprang to Jocelyn’s eyes, but she swiped at them with the back of her sleeve. “You people came to visit me when I was in the hospital. That’s more than my own family did. I appreciate it more than you’ll ever know.”

  “We care about you,” Mr. Penner said. “Just like we care about Shelley. Now go on home, and get some rest.”

  “Okay.” Shelley pulled off her apron and hung it on the rack in the kitchen. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  All the way home Shelley thought about her day and how Paul had said he planned to stop by to see Mother. She wondered how their visit went.

  When she walked inside, her mother called out from the kitchen. “Shelley, is that you?”

  “Ya, I’ll be right there.” As she went to her room to put a few things away, she said a prayer that her mother was in a better mood than she had been earlier.

  The instant Shelley arrived in the kitchen, she was stunned by what she saw. Rows of cookies were spread out over the countertops, and the kitchen table had tins stacked high.

  “Why are you baking so many cookies, Mother?”

  “Here, have one of these, and tell me what you think.” Mother offered a heaping platter, and Shelley took a sugar cookie. “Paul and Tammy are bringing the children over tomorrow, and we’re going to decorate cookies.”

  Shelley smiled. “That sounds like fun. I have to work in the morning. Do you know when they’ll be here?”

  “Late morning. I promised to fix them a picnic to eat in the backyard, and then we’ll come inside to decorate the cookies. I’m sure we’ll still be at it when you get home from work. I can’t wait to tell William. He loves his niece and nephew.”

  Shelley moved a few tins away from the edge of the table before sitting down. “What else did you and Paul talk about?”

  Mother didn’t answer right away. She finished positioning cookies on the baking sheet, stuck it in the oven and then joined Shelley. “I told Paul about Peter and Jeremiah.”

  Shelley’s insides twisted. “What did you tell him?”

  “I explained how Peter broke your heart and you can’t seem to forgive him.”

  “That’s not exactly—”

  Mother lifted a hand to shush her. “We talked about Jeremiah coming back to the church and trying to court you.” She cleared her throat and glanced down before looking Shelley in the eye. “Paul talked to me about forgiveness and trusting that the Lord would guide you in your decision.”

  Silence fell between them. Shelley wasn’t sure where Mother was going with this, so she remained quiet, hoping to hear more.

  “I have to admit I argued with him about it, saying that you could learn to love Peter since you obviously wanted to marry him before he got … engaged to Clara. Paul asked me why I was so opposed to Jeremiah, now that he’s returned to the church.”

  Mother looked directly at Shelley as if waiting for some sort of response. “I would like to know that, too,” Shelley said softly.

  “Paul and I talked for quite a while, and he helped me see some things….” Her voice trailed off as she glanced down at the table before raising her gaze back to Shelley. “He asked what Jeremiah could do to win my favor. We all have sins that must be forgiven, so I couldn’t give a good answer.” Mother reached over, grasped Shelley’s hand, and squeezed it. “I am so sorry for acting the way I did with Jeremiah. After having a child who will never be able to live on his own, then losing Paul, I’m afraid I put all my stock in you. Now I know that isn’t the right thing to do.”

  “First of all, Mother, William is a wonderful brother, and he’s doing just fine. Second, you didn’t lose Paul.”

  “Ya, I know that now.”

  “And third, I don’t think I ever truly loved Peter. He was simply there, giving me attention at a time when I was worried I might be getting too old to find a husband.” She self-consciously smiled at her mother. “And I want to get married and have a family.”

  “Ya, I know that. I will have to get to know Jeremiah before I pass judgment on him.”

  Shelley lifted both hands and widened her smile. “I’m not even saying Jeremiah is the man I want to marry.”

  “But you’re not saying he’s not either,” her mother teased.

  “True. I really do like him, but like you, I had some reservations about him. I don’t ever want to leave the church.”

  “I can’t believe I’m saying this, Shelley, but now you’re the one who needs to learn forgiveness. Give Jeremiah a chance.”

  After they finished their talk, Shelley got up from the table. “I think I’ll go for a little walk now. This has been a difficult week.”

  “Go on ahead. If you want to help with supper, I’ll wait until you get back to start it.”

  Shelley had a lot of thinking to do. As she took off down the street, she inhaled the warm air and allowed it to fill her lungs before slowly exhaling. Today had been filled with surprises—first seeing Paul at the restaurant and then walking in on her mother in such a cheerful mood. Her mother’s acceptance of Jeremiah was nothing short of a miracle. But then Shelley remembered how Paul was so good at talking to her and showing her all sides of situations. Shelley wished she had that gift.

  Her mind was so filled with the twists and turns in her life that she thought she was imagining the sound of someone calling her name. At first she kept walking, but when she heard it again, she stopped and glanced over her shoulder in time to see Jeremiah jogging toward her.

  When he reached her, he stopped to catch his breath. “I’ve been trying to find you for the past fifteen minutes.”

  Shelley laughed. “That’s not all that lo
ng. What did you need?”

  “Your mother said you were out walking.”

  The earth seemed to shift beneath her. “When did you talk to my mother?”

  “I just left your house. I stopped by to see if you were home from work yet. When your mother invited me inside, I thought you might be there.”

  “She invited you in?” She wondered what Jeremiah thought about that.

  “Yes.” He chuckled. “I was surprised, but the real bombshell was when she asked me to come over tomorrow to help decorate cookies. Any idea what’s going on?”

  Shelley shook her head. “My brother stopped by and had a talk with her.

  Apparently, he said something that completely turned her around.”

  “I think she’s just happy Paul is going to bring his family to the Mennonite church.”

  “Ya, that would make her happy. Mother has always dreamed of our whole family attending the same church together.”

  They resumed walking, at first without talking, until Shelley got up the nerve to ask what was on her mind. “So are you planning to join us?”

  “A million wild horses couldn’t keep me away.”

  “Oh, I bet a million horses could,” Shelley said with a giggle.

  “I’m pretty strong when I’m determined.”

  “That’s good to know.”

  When Jeremiah reached for her hand, her tummy fluttered. “What else would you like to know?” he asked.

  “How’s your farm coming along?”

  Jeremiah told her all about the crops he’d planted and how he was looking at lemon and lime tree varieties, trying to decide which ones to plant. “There’s a whole lot more to farming than most people realize.”

  “Do you like it?”

  “I like it much more than anything I’ve ever done. This feels like real life to me, and it doesn’t hurt to know I’m actually doing something productive.”

  “I know what you mean,” Shelley said. “Mary loves living on the farm and doing a little bit of gardening for canning.”

  “Can you see yourself doing that?” Jeremiah asked.

  Shelley opened her mouth and then closed it and shrugged. She was afraid if she told Jeremiah that she dreamed of having what Mary had—a doting husband who loved the Lord and a home to take care of—she’d scare him away.

  “We’ll be starting on my house as soon as I choose some house plans.” Jeremiah paused. “Would you like to look at the ones I’m considering?”

  “I’d love to.”

  They arrived at the front of Shelley’s house and stopped. Jeremiah dropped Shelley’s hand but didn’t budge from his spot on the sidewalk. “See you tomorrow?”

  “I’m working, but I’ll come straight home afterward.”

  “Your mother told me to come early for lunch, but I think I’ll wait for you.”

  “No,” Shelley said. “I’d like for you to come early and spend some time with my family.”

  Jeremiah smiled and nodded. “Okay, since that’s what you want, that’s exactly what I’ll do.”

  “I don’t always expect you to do what I want, Jeremiah.”

  He howled with laughter. “Trust me, Shelley, I won’t.”

  After Shelley went inside, Jeremiah went on home. He set the table and ate dinner with his parents and then sent them out for ice cream, so he could clean the kitchen.

  “Practicing, son?” his dad asked as he lingered for a moment in the kitchen while Jeremiah’s mother got her wrap.

  Jeremiah glanced up from the sink. “Practicing?”

  “Practicing for those times when your future wife needs a hand in the kitchen?” His father winked before leaving with his mother.

  That was exactly what Jeremiah was doing, now that his dad mentioned it. He could imagine himself working side by side with Shelley. Now all he had to do was plant the same image in her mind.

  He went to the Glick farm early and let Abe know he was going over to the Burkholders’ house to decorate cookies. Abe lifted his eyebrows. “Sounds like you are making some headway there.”

  “I hope so.”

  “In that case,” Abe said, “leave early to check on your own farm, and then go back into town to be with Shelley’s family.”

  Jeremiah hummed as he did all his tasks. Working hard with his hands kept him busy yet freed his mind. He called David to arrange for his ride, and then he let Abe know when he was about to leave.

  “Enjoy yourself,” Abe said. “And tell Shelley hi from Mary and me.”

  Shelley left the restaurant immediately after the lunch crowd dwindled. She practically ran home. Her hands were a little bit unsteady as she opened the front door. If Jeremiah was able to get off early, she knew she’d see him soon.

  Mother was in the kitchen arranging all the cookies on the counter. She pointed to the children, who were enjoying a picnic lunch on an old tablecloth. “I was hoping Jeremiah would be here to have lunch with you.”

  “He said he was going to try to take off early,” Shelley said. “Mother, I’ve been thinking about your change of heart. It happened so fast—I’m confused.”

  Her mother put down what she was doing, wiped her hands on the towel, and faced Shelley. “Paul found me in my bedroom. At first he didn’t know what to say, but when I refused to get up, he got firm with me. He said I was trying too hard to make everything go my way.”

  Shelley pulled back. “Paul actually said that to you?”

  “Ya.” Mother hung her head. “In case you’re wondering, ya, it did make me mad. So mad I hopped up out of bed and gave him a piece of my mind. Once I was up, he took hold of me and led me to the living room, where he sat me down and said we needed to talk about a lot of things.”

  Paul sure did have a lot of nerve, and Shelley was grateful. “And all he had to do was mention that Jeremiah deserved a second chance?”

  “Oh, it was much more than that, but I will spare you the details. I will say that he used scripture to remind me that the Lord wouldn’t want me to hold grudges, now that Jeremiah is claiming to be sorry for what he did.”

  “How do you feel about Jeremiah?” Shelley asked.

  Mother folded her arms and gave Shelley a stern look. “Are you asking me how I’d feel about Jeremiah courting you?”

  “Well … ya, I s’pose that is what I’m asking.”

  Her mother’s expression turned pleasant, and she actually smiled. “I think I would be okay with that as long as you are sure he is sincere.”

  Shelley relaxed. “Ya, that is important.”

  A knocking sound at the door got their attention. “I suspect that’s Jeremiah. Why don’t you get the door while I call the children in to start decorating the cookies I baked? Ask Jeremiah if he’s had lunch yet. If not, I’ll send the two of you out to the backyard for your own private picnic.”

  Three weeks later during the church picnic, Jeremiah approached Shelley as she stood with her mother. “If you don’t mind, Mrs. Burkholder, I’d like to have a chat with your daughter.”

  The twinkle in her mother’s eye let Shelley know her mother was in on something she was about to find out. “Of course I don’t mind.”

  “I promised to help put out the desserts,” Shelley said. “Can it wait?”

  Both Jeremiah and her mother shouted, “No!” in unison.

  “Okay then. Let’s go.” She turned and tucked her hand into the crook of Jeremiah’s arm. “Where are we going?”

  He gestured toward a waiting car. “I called David to drive us to the beach.”

  All the way to the beach, David kept glancing at them in his rearview mirror. Even he seemed to know a secret. “How about I drop you off here?” he asked.

  “Perfect,” Jeremiah said. “Pick us up in about an hour unless I call you to come earlier.”

  “When are you going to let me in on your secret, Jeremiah?” Shelley asked as she removed her shoes before stepping onto the sand. Then it dawned on her. She turned toward him, smiling. “You’ve started working on
the house!”

  “Well,” Jeremiah said as he rubbed his neck, “not exactly, but that will be happening soon.”

  “Then what’s so important we had to come all the way here for you to tell me?”

  Jeremiah tugged her over toward a private area beside a cluster of palm trees. He opened the towel he’d brought and placed it on the sand. “Have a seat, Shelley.”

  Once they were seated facing the water, Jeremiah took her hand and kissed the back of it. Neither of them spoke for a few minutes.

  Finally, Jeremiah took a deep breath and turned to Shelley. “I’ve never done this before, so I might be a little bit awkward.”

  She laughed nervously. “You’ve never seemed awkward to me, Jeremiah.”

  “How do I seem to you?”

  “You are a very sweet, hardworking man who has asked for forgiveness … and a man who loves the Lord.”

  “Yes, that is true, but that’s not all. I love you, too, Shelley.”

  A lump formed in her throat, but she managed to reply, “And I love you.”

  “Good. That makes what I have to say much easier. I would like for you to be my wife.”

  Shelley remained sitting there, stunned, for a few minutes before she turned to face him. “You’ve already talked to my parents about this, haven’t you?”

  “Yes, and William and Paul.”

  “What did they say?” she asked.

  “William jumped up and clapped his hands. Paul said he would be happy to have me for a brother-in-law, and your father shook my hand.”

  “How about my mother?” Shelley asked.

  “She’s the only one I was worried about, but she said that if marrying me would make you happy, she’ll be happy for us.” He looked into her eyes. “Well, what’s your answer?”

  Shelley flung her arms around Jeremiah’s neck and hugged him tight. “Marrying you will make me the happiest woman in Sarasota.” She stopped, thought for a moment, and corrected herself. “Make that the happiest woman in the world.”

  UNLIKELY MATCH

  Dedication

  I’d like to dedicate this book to my agent, Tamela Hancock Murray.