by Cindy Kirk
“Maybe.” I glanced around to make sure no one else was listening in. Off in the distance, Gillian gave me a wave as she got into her car. I waved back, doing my best to look nonchalant, and then turned to my sister. “So let’s talk about this. What’s really troubling you?”
She leaned forward and put her head on the steering wheel. I could barely make out her words as she said, “I feel like I’m trapped, Mari. I have to do what his parents say. Mostly his mom. She’s so forceful.” Crystal’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Oh, it’s all couched in Southern sweetness—honey this and sweetie that. I even heard it at the shower today. ‘Crystal, dear girl, don’t you think the bridesmaids’ shoes should be dyed pink to match their dresses?’ But it’s still manipulation, just the same. And I’m afraid it’s just the first of a thousand times that’s going to happen in the next thirty or forty years.”
“So what you’re really worried about is not being able to stand up for yourself.”
“Yeah.” She sighed and lifted her head.
“Have you told Phillip that?”
She shook her head. “Ever since our breakup—and his mom was the one who put doubts in his head, by the way—I’ve been scared to tell him what I’m really thinking or feeling.”
“Because you’re afraid of losing him?”
It took her a moment, but she finally nodded. “And because I don’t want to stir up animosity between him and his mom. She’s so strong willed.” Crystal rolled her eyes. “You get my point.”
“Then it’s more important than ever to have a heart-to-heart with him. Maybe it’s not really his parents you’re upset with. Maybe it’s him. You’re trying to please him because you’re scared your relationship will fall apart if you don’t.”
My sister released a sob so quickly that it startled me. Seconds later, she was crumpled over the steering wheel, tears flowing. I knelt down next to the open door and let her cry it out. Then I gave her the best advice I could by whispering, “I’ll be praying, Crystal. I promise I will. But don’t do anything rash, okay? Maybe the wedding is just the tipping point. You know?”
Crystal nodded just as her cell phone rang. She fished it out of her purse and looked at the screen, her eyes growing wide. “It’s Phillip. I . . . I can’t talk to him now.” She pulled down the visor and checked her appearance. As if he could see her.
“You don’t have to talk to him right now. Wait until you’re calmer. Pray, and then call him back.”
She nodded just as the phone stopped ringing. “Okay. I will.”
“It won’t hurt him to wait an hour or two, Crystal. Send him a text and tell him that you’ll call him back in a while.”
She blew out a slow breath and then did just that. I stood and gave her an encouraging smile. “I’m going to pray that God gives you a peace in your heart when you come to the right decision about the wedding. Until then, just rest. Don’t over think it. Don’t worry about Dad or the venue or anything. Just pray.”
“I will.” She gave me a woeful smile. “Thank you, Mari. It helped so much to get that off my chest. You have no idea.” A little pause followed as she glanced up at me. “You’re my go-to person once again.”
“I like being your go-to person. I hope I can still play that role, even after you’re an old married woman.”
That got a chuckle out of her, the first I’d seen in a while. Still, I knew my sister had a lot to think and pray about. I would keep my promise and pray too. Surely the Lord would calm troubled waters and this wedding could move forward as planned. I hoped.
I climbed into my car, my thoughts reeling. Would my sister really go through with this? Would she change the venue for the reception? If so, would there be time to pull together a new plan? I sat with the car in park, deep in thought.
Until my phone rang. I recognized Derrick’s number right away and did my best to steady my breathing before answering. He greeted me with a carefree, “Hey,” followed by, “How did the shower go?”
“It was . . .” I paused as I thought through the events of the day. “Really nice.”
“You hesitated.”
“Did I?”
“You did.” Now he paused. “She didn’t like the cookies?”
“Oh, she loved them. Everyone did. And the cupcakes too. Please tell your mom thank you from all the guests. They were thrilled.”
“Then why don’t you sound thrilled?”
“I . . .”
The intensity of his voice grew. “C’mon, Mari. What aren’t you telling me? Was Sienna up to her tricks at the shower?”
“No. Sienna was okay, actually. She even helped clear the tables afterward. It’s more my sister this time.”
“Crystal?” Derrick sounded worried. “Is she sick?”
Oh boy. I’d painted myself into a corner, hadn’t I? How could I answer his questions without giving away too much personal information? “Not really sick, exactly.”
“What, then?” I could hear the concern in his voice. “She’s not getting cold feet, is she?”
Did he have to come out and ask that? I couldn’t lie to him, now could I?
“Mari?”
“I think she’s just going through a weird phase. She’ll snap out of it.” My next words had a pleading tone. “Promise me you won’t say anything to Phillip. I’m sure she’ll wake up tomorrow and everything will be perfect again. She’s just having an off day, maybe.” I paused and then sighed. “Or maybe she’s still reeling from what they went through a few months ago. Maybe that whole breakup thing shook her confidence more than we realized.”
“Well, about that . . .” Derrick’s voice faded away mid-sentence.
“She mentioned that it had something to do with his mom. Did you know that?”
Derrick sighed. “Yeah. Phillip’s mother thought he should slow things down—don’t ask me why, I never could figure it out—but Phillip adores your sister.”
“Are you sure?”
“Are you kidding me? The guy can’t hold a conversation without talking about her. He notices every little thing she does. You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve heard that story about her trip to Haiti. He loves that she’s so soft-hearted and cares so much about underprivileged kids. I’ve never known a guy so infatuated with a girl before, and I can definitely see why. She’s great.”
Hearing all of that made me feel better, but I still had my doubts about my sister’s current state of mind.
“I think Phillip’s mother is worried about losing her son. You know?” Derrick cleared his throat.
“To a girl who doesn’t have a lot of money?” I voiced the words I’d rolled around in my brain over the past few months. “Someone who’s not from the country club set?”
“Maybe.” Derrick paused, and I wondered if I’d lost him. “She can be a little bit of a snob, I suppose, but I think there’s more going on this time. I think she’s really just going through that empty nest thing. My mom went through that right after I moved out. I’m sure your mom is going to experience some of those feelings after your sister’s wedding.”
“If there is a wedding.”
“There will be. Trust me. If Phillip and Crystal could survive Mrs. Havenhurst’s interference a few months back, they can make it through this. Their love is strong, Mari. It’s tough, enough to overcome obstacles.”
“You know just what to say to calm me down, Derrick. Thank you. I only wish Crystal had heard all that. You would’ve won her over, for sure.”
“Do you think it would help if I called her? I’d be happy to do that.”
“She’d kill me if she found out I said anything to you or anyone else.”
“Ah. Well, if there’s anything I can do . . .” His voice drifted away.
“There is.” I paused for a moment and then whispered, “Would you pray? Please?”
“Well, of course.” He must’ve thought I meant, “Right here, right now,” because the guy dove into a passionate conversation with the Lord about my sister’s upco
ming wedding. On and on he went, asking God to lead, guide, and bring peace to Crystal’s heart. By the time he finished, I felt completely at peace myself. Wow.
For a few moments neither of us said a word. I finally broke the silence. “Thank you so much for praying, Derrick. That means a lot.”
“I’ve been the one in need of prayer a lot over the years. Remember the story about how I let my parents’ breakup send me reeling?”
“Yes.”
“Trust me, if God could bring me through that, he can see your sister through all this. He loves her even more than you do, and I know you love her a lot.”
“I . . . I do.” A lump rose in my throat.
“I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. She’s blessed to have you.” He paused, then cleared his throat. “And I . . . I feel pretty blessed too. Glad I’m getting to know you, Southpaw.”
“I feel the same way.”
“Let’s make a pact to stick together. I have a feeling the bride and groom are going to need us, okay?”
“Sounds good.”
We ended the call, and I leaned back against my seat, thoughts spinning. Somehow, knowing Derrick Richardson was on my team brought great comfort. Together, we would get this wedding back on track. Somehow.
On the Monday after the shower, Crystal was all smiles again. “I talked to Phillip.” She took a nibble of a leftover teacup cookie and her eyes widened. “Mmm. These are great. I didn’t get any at the shower. I was too preoccupied.”
“Thanks. Derrick did most of the baking.”
“I heard all about that from Phillip.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. I hear Derrick is quite a whiz in the kitchen.” She took another bite, a look of complete satisfaction on her face.
“So what happened with Phillip? You talked to him, and . . .”
“And”—Crystal grinned and set the cookie down on a napkin—“it went well.”
“Are you saying we don’t have to return the presents after all?”
“Return the presents?” Grandma Nellie’s voice came from behind me. “And why would she have to return the presents?”
Oh, yikes. Man, our grandmother was sneaky, listening in on our conversation. She started firing questions, but finally stopped when she saw my sister putting her finger to her lips.
“Grandma Nellie, don’t. You’ll scare Mama.”
“You’re scaring me.” Our grandmother’s gaze narrowed. “The wedding is still on, right?”
“Right. The wedding is still on.” Crystal nodded, then gave me a comforting smile. “Thanks to Mari.”
“Mari needs a man.” My grandmother rolled her eyes.
“Wait . . . what?” How had we shifted from Crystal’s wedding to my love life?
“I said, ‘Mari needs a man.’ ” Grandma Nellie waggled her index finger in my sister’s face. “And you, Crystal? You marry that boy. And keep the presents too.” Then she headed into the living room, mumbling all the way. I couldn’t make out much of it, but got the part about pre-wedding jitters.
“Crystal, you don’t think she’ll say anything to Mama, do you?”
“No.” My sister shook her head. “She knows it would hurt me, so I’m sure she won’t.” A pause followed, and then her eyes brimmed with tears. “Mari, thank you so much.”
“For what?”
“For talking me down from the ledge the other day. And for giving me the courage to have a heart-to-heart with Phillip.”
“Tell me about it.”
“I told him just what you said, that I’ve been scared of losing him if I dared to disagree with his mother, especially about any of her ideas for the wedding. He promised me it’s not going to happen, no matter what. He even said we could get married at the justice of the peace if I wanted.” She giggled and then took another nibble of her cookie.
“The justice of the peace?” Grandma Nellie’s voice boomed from the living room. “Over my chubby dead body!”
I shuddered. “Please tell me that’s not an option. Mama would have a meltdown.”
“No, of course not. But I got his point. He wants me to be happy. And you know what? I am.”
“So what did you decide?”
“I’m going to go through with the plans as they are. I’ve settled the issue in my heart. I’m not going to do it to please Phillip—or his parents—anymore. I’m going to do it because it’s going to be the easiest for everyone involved at this point. The work is mostly done.” She dropped the cookie and grabbed my hands. “And you, Mari, don’t need any more on your plate. You and Derrick have already worked so hard to make everything amazing for us. Why would I do that to you? Or to Mom and Dad?”
“So everything moves forward as planned.”
“Yes.” She smiled. “And just for the record, my wedding bouquet will be loaded with very clichéd white roses.”
“Amen!” I laughed. “Perfect.”
“Exactly. Everything will be.” Crystal sighed. “I feel good about the whole thing now. In fact, I don’t know when I’ve ever felt better. Talking to Phillip made me feel like I’d lost twenty pounds.” She took another bite of the cookie and spoke with a full mouth. “After all the sweets I’ve consumed, I need to lose twenty pounds.” She chased down the cookie with a swig of milk from my glass. “I should start exercising.”
“My favorite exercise is a combination of a lunge and a crunch.” I took a little nibble of a cookie. “It’s called lunch.”
She laughed so hard I thought she might choke. “You’re perfect just the way you are, Mari.”
“Puh-leeze.” I laughed. “You’re the one who’s perfect, even if you do steal my food like you did when we were little.”
“Was I ever little?” She rubbed her tummy and grinned. “And trust me, I’m far from perfect. Though Phillip did say the same thing.”
“He’s right.”
“Oh, he also said something else.” Crystal quirked an eyebrow. “He said Derrick told him all about your cookie-baking date.”
“Oh?” I tried to act nonchalant. “What did he say?”
“That his mom adores you. And that it was the best four hours he’d ever spent in a kitchen.”
“Ha.” I giggled. “Well, maybe he’s had some bad experiences in a kitchen.”
“No, there’s more to it than that. He really likes you, Mari. Phillip heard all about it.”
I felt the corners of my lips curl up in a smile. No one could blame me, after all. “I really like him, too, Crystal. He’s a great guy. Such a big heart.”
“Big enough to include a petite little thing like you.” She gave me a wink. “Even if you are at the end of the bridesmaid line.”
“He’ll have to travel farther to get to me.”
“Pretty sure he’s willing to make the journey, at least from what I gather.” She shook her head, and I noticed a bit of an eye roll. “Is it wrong to say that I’m having way too much fun trying to picture the look on Sienna’s face when she finds out you two are a couple?”
I shrugged and reached for my milk glass. “Sienna’s not around enough to realize it’s anything more than an attraction.”
“You’re right. She’s not around much. That’s the problem.” Crystal shrugged. “But you know what? I love her anyway. And if I’m being totally honest with myself, I have to admit that she’s always been like this, so I get what’s coming to me for choosing her in the first place. Do you remember what she did to me in sixth grade?”
“Joey O’Shea.” We spoke the name in unison.
“Yeah.” Crystal smiled. “Best favor anyone ever did me. Joey was a piece of work.”
“Whatever happened to him?”
“He sent me a friend request on Facebook. Let’s just say he’s not what anyone would necessarily call a catch.”
“Wow. So I guess we should be thanking Sienna for stealing him away from you all those years ago, right?”
“Guess so. Anyway, I’m happy to be marrying my real Prince Charming. A
nd as for you”—she gave me a knowing look—“I would like to think that, maybe, just maybe, the Lord brought the best man directly into your path. Well, the best man for you, anyway. You can thank me for that later.”
“Thank Phillip, you mean.”
“Whatever.” She finished off her cookie and stood up, then hollered into the living room. “Grandma Nellie, you might as well come back in here. I know you’re still eavesdropping.”
“I don’t eavesdrop.” Our grandmother popped her head into the room. “But I like that part about the best man falling in love with Mari.”
“See?” My sister laughed. “You were eavesdropping.”
Grandma Nellie crossed her arms at her chest and stared at me. “Who could blame me? I worry about this girl.”
“Worry? Why are you worried about me?”
“You’ve waited for a boyfriend so long, I’m tempted to staple a lost dog flyer to your blouse.”
“Grandma Nellie!”
“It’s true. But now, praise the Lord, I can stop fretting.” On and on she went about my reignited love life. Not that I really had a love life . . . yet.
I put my hand up to stop her. “It’s not love. I barely know the guy. It’s just been a couple of months, you know?”
“Your grandfather and I eloped after six weeks. We were married for thirty years and had four babies.” She narrowed her gaze. “Sometimes, the Lord, he works quick.”
“True.” My sister nodded. “Sometimes, the Lord, he works quick.” She gave me another wink.
My cell phone rang, thank goodness. I was ready to be done with this conversation. Still, when I saw Derrick’s number, I couldn’t help but grin.
“Prince Charming calling?” Our grandmother reached for the broom and pretended to dance with it.
I bit back the smile and nodded. “It’s Derrick.”
“Mm-hmm. You see?” Grandma Nellie danced back into the living room, still clutching the broom. I reached to press the button, greeted Derrick with a cheerful, “Hello,” and then felt my heart skip-skip-skip as he asked me to a picnic.
I agreed, of course. And as I ended the call, I also agreed that my grandmother had been right about one thing. Sometimes, the Lord . . . he works quick.