by Debby Mayne
“Yes. I thought you said you were too busy, and it was too late.”
She darted her gaze toward him but quickly looked away. “But I never said I wouldn’t go.”
He suspected she might have been on the fence about the date and eventually agreed to go out with him, but Andy had saved him from sweating it out. “True. But I do have one question.”
“What’s that?” Now she turned her attention fully in his direction.
“If Andy hadn’t shown up and asked you to bird-sit, what would you have done? Would you have said yes?”
“Maybe . . . probably.” She sighed. “Okay, so Andy showing up with his bird helped me decide. I appreciate that he apologized, but when asked the favor, I . . . I just sort of went into one of the zones Charlie used to tease me about. I knew I had to make a decision, and going out with you was my choice.”
“So you’re saying the reason you’re with me is because you don’t want to bird-sit?”
A distressed look washed over her face as she shook her head. “No, that’s not what I’m saying. I—”
He knew better than to press her. If he didn’t let up, she might wish she’d chosen to take care of Murray instead. “Okay, I’ll stop.”
She let out a breath. “Thanks.”
Pete chuckled. “That bird is something else, isn’t he?”
“Oh, he’s something else all right.” She smiled. “But I’m not sure what that something else is.”
“I wonder if he knows what he’s saying.”
She nodded. “I think he does most of the time. I’ve heard parrots are pretty smart.”
“All I know is, they talk a lot . . . or at least Murray does.”
“According to my mother, they can have thousand-word vocabularies.” She tucked one side of her hair behind her ear and looked over at him. “I’m pretty sure Murray is close to that already.”
“That’s crazy. Some people I know don’t have thousand-word vocabularies.”
“Be nice, Pete. Those people probably can’t help it.”
“Or maybe they can but don’t want to.”
“Speaking from experience?”
He laughed. It sure was fun bantering with Bethany again like this.
Guilt flooded Bethany as she focused on the road ahead. Pete deserved heartfelt acceptance, not the consolation prize of being the lesser of two evils. She enjoyed being with Pete, but the conflicting emotions welling up inside her lately had overflowed and rendered her craving more alone time. Aunt Mary’s confession had drained her, and her heart ached knowing about the guilt her aunt had endured over the years. Ever since the confession, Bethany had prayed for her aunt’s ability to let go of the suffering.
Bethany saw Pete glance in her direction every now and then as he drove toward The Fancy Schmantzy, the nickname of the finest restaurant in Bloomfield. People in town had called it that for so long the owners Fred and Rita had changed the sign, and she couldn’t remember the original name.
“You really don’t have to take me to such an elegant place,” she said. “I would have settled for a sandwich or salad someplace more casual.”
“I don’t want you settling for anything tonight,” Pete said. “You shouldn’t feel like you have to settle. Ever.”
Pete’s words rang through her head. All of Bethany’s life, she’d felt as though she’d settled for whatever others thought she should have. Growing up, Naomi had called the shots, and after realizing that trying hard to get her way was pointless, Bethany had settled for her mother’s wishes. She’d married Charlie out of love, but even his desires took precedence over hers, so she often found that to keep peace in the marriage, she had to settle for doing things his way.
Then along came Ashley, and anyone who has ever had children knew their needs came first. Even now, with Ashley in college, she had to make do with the meager leftovers from the small income Charlie had set up for her to live on. Before Ashley started college, Bethany promised a long vacation for the two of them, so she’d been tucking away a few dollars from her monthly income Charlie to pay for that trip.
Pete reached for her hand, squeezed it, and let go, returning his hand to the steering wheel. “This is your special evening. Order anything you want and don’t even bother looking at the prices.”
The more time she spent with Pete, the more she remembered how giving he’d always been. She let out a nervous chuckle. “Aren’t you worried I’ll take advantage of your generosity?”
“That’s what I’m counting on.” His half-smile faded as a more serious look came over him. “No one else seems to mind taking advantage of you and making you feel guilty, so now it’s your turn to have what you really want.”
Bethany leaned her head back and closed her eyes for the last few minutes of the short trip to the restaurant. Nothing in Bloomfield was far, so they were likely to run into someone they knew—the main reason she stayed home most nights. The thought of running into an acquaintance and having them assume anything about her relationship with Pete bugged her, but she knew it would probably happen. The bump leading into the parking lot jostled her from her thoughts.
“I meant what I said about ordering what you want,” he said, as he opened her door and gave her a hand.
“Okay, you asked for it.” She sent him a teasing glance. “I hope you have deep pockets.”
He shoved his free hand in his pocket. “Yep. It’s deep enough.”
Pete was surprised that Bethany didn’t let go of his hand, and he wasn’t about to pull away, even if it meant an awkward moment when they reached the restaurant door. He was about to maneuver around when the massive oak door swung open.
“Good evening,” the young woman said as they entered. “Reservations?”
Pete nodded. “Yes, for two. Pete Sprockett.”
The hostess glanced at the book behind the counter, grabbed a couple of menus from the nook, and motioned for them to follow her. “I have the table you requested ready.”
“You requested a specific table?” Bethany asked.
“Absolutely. I wanted the best in the house.”
A giggle bubbled up from her throat. “Is that a line you give all the ladies, or do you mean it?”
He gave her a horrified look, but when he saw the teasing grin, he rolled his eyes. “I’ll leave that for you to figure out.”
“Hey, Bethany. Fancy seeing you here.”
The sound of Pamela’s voice scraped Bethany’s last nerve. She held her breath as she turned toward the person she least wanted to see tonight.
“Hey, Pamela.” She glanced at the man across the table from Pamela. “Hi, Andy. I see you got someone to watch your bird.”
“No, I left him home alone. No telling what he’ll get into with my being gone so much lately.” His humorless voice cracked. “But some people—” Pamela’s sharp glare cut him off.
“Aw, that’s too bad.” Bethany tried her best to sound sorry, but she wasn’t sure she’d pulled it off when she saw a hint of a smirk on Pete’s lips.
Andy shot her a look of defiance. “No one was willing to help me out, so I had no choice.”
Pamela pointed one of her long, snowflake-painted fingernails at Andy. “That bird rules your life, Andy, and no one feels sorry for you.”
Andy shrugged. “He’s spoiled. What can I say?”
“And whose fault is that?” Pamela bobbed her head.
Pete gestured toward the hostess who patiently waited for them by a table in the corner of the dining room. “Sorry, folks, but we need to get on over to our table.”
Andy waved them off as he turned back around and picked up his fork. “That’s fine. Don’t you worry for a moment about Murray. He might get out of his cage and get into something he shouldn’t, or worse, eat something poisonous, but that’s not your concern.”
“Oh, for crying out lou
d,” Pamela growled.
It took every ounce of self-restraint to keep Bethany from responding. When she sat down, she looked Pete in the eye, and they both laughed softly.
Pete held up a hand and covered one side of his face for privacy. “Don’t look now, but I think they’re still squabbling.”
“I know, and it’s all about the bird.”
“Remind me not to get on the bird-sitting list,” Pete said. “Looks like once you’re on it, there’s no getting off.”
After the server took their order and left, Bethany leaned back in her chair. “Thank you for getting me out of the house tonight. I’ve sort of gotten into a miserable routine of staying home and wondering what everyone else is doing.”
“Sort of?” He gave her a teasing look. “But seriously, I don’t know about being in a miserable routine. I think it’s more like you’ve forgotten to look for the sunshine.”
“Am I really that bad?” She scrunched up her face as she watched the pained expression wash over Pete’s.
“I don’t—”
“Never mind.” Bethany forced a smile. “I have to admit, getting rid of some of the clutter makes me feel much better. Lighter even.”
“Yes, and that’s wonderful.”
“My aunt wants me to tackle the rest of it in small amounts.” She laughed. “She probably thinks if I take baby steps, I’ll eventually wind up where I should be.”
Pete nodded his understanding, but he didn’t interject any comments. Bethany suspected he had plenty to say.
“Look, I get it. I know everyone is worried about me, and I understand why.” She paused. “I just need the comfort of the familiar sometimes.”
“Comfort doesn’t come from things,” Pete said softly. “The Lord doesn’t want you to be bogged down with possessions that can be taken away in a flash. You saw what happened when Murray got loose.”
“Yes, you’re right.” She knew deep down that was true, but when she wrapped up in one of the blankets her mother-in-law had crafted or admired some of the Hummel collections Charlie had given her for her birthday shortly after they’d gotten married, she remembered the happier times. If she closed her eyes, she could return to that moment. “Maybe I’ll pick out a few things that mean the most and then have someone come in and box up the rest.”
“Would you like my help?”
She shook her head. “I appreciate the offer, but I think it would be better if someone else did it. Maybe Aunt Mary will.”
“And don’t forget Naomi.” He smiled and winked. “I bet she’d like nothing better than to get her hands on your collectibles.”
“Oh, I’m sure that’s right. But no, I think Aunt Mary can do it without Naomi’s help.”
Pete laughed.
“What’s so funny?”
“You’re doing it again. I always thought it was strange that you called your mother by her first name.”
“I know, but it’s an old habit that’s hard to break. Would you believe I sometimes have to stop and think to call her Mom?”
“Everything about you is so different and interesting,” he said as he propped his elbows on the table and leaned forward. “I would like to—”
The server arrived with their dinners, so he pulled his arms off the table and leaned back. As she placed the plates filled with steak, baked potatoes, and green beans in front of them, the aroma wafted to her nostrils. Bethany’s mouth watered.
“This looks and smells delicious,” she said.
“Then let’s eat.”
“But first, the blessing.”
“Of course.” Pete bowed his head and said the blessing. Then he didn’t waste a moment before lifting his fork and knife. “Oh, and by the way, save room for dessert. I want to treat you to the works.”
Bethany couldn’t help but grin throughout the meal as she watched the obvious delight on Pete’s face as she enjoyed her food. The Fancy Schmantzy was expensive, but everything about it—from the fabulous food and first-class service to the white tablecloths and ambient lighting—made it worth the price. But all that paled in comparison to how good she felt sitting across the table from Pete. Even the moments of silence were pleasant. She knew she needed to guard her heart, but being with Pete gave her a sense that all was right in the world.
Pete awoke the next morning with a smile on his face. When he first picked her up last night, Bethany had been tense and quiet, but once the evening wore on, she’d come out of her shell and actually laughed at some of his silly jokes. He filled a travel mug with coffee and grabbed a blueberry muffin on his way out the door. His mother still fussed at him for not eating a hearty breakfast, but he didn’t have time to do that every single morning. Once in a while, he’d scramble a couple of eggs, but that was rare.
He arrived at work, still smiling. Charlotte, the office manager, greeted him right away.
“You look like you’ve been bitten by the bluebird of happiness.” She put down a paper and took his travel mug to refill it. “I heard you were out with Bethany last night.”
“That’s right.” He followed her to the small break room in the back of the shop. “Where did you hear?”
She laughed. “You’re kidding, right? This is Bloomfield. You do something in public, and word gets around. So you’re smiling because you and Bethany had a date last night?”
“Yep.”
“I’m glad you had a good time.” She handed him some papers. “After you come back down to earth, you need to take a look at these orders before I fax them.”
“Will do.” He’d almost made it to his office when Charlotte cleared her throat, catching his attention. “Did you need something else?”
“I have some advice if you want to hear it.”
“Sure.” He knew this would come eventually, so he leaned against the doorjamb.
“Don’t try to resurrect the past. You’re not a teenager anymore, and people change after life happens.” She remained standing at the beverage counter after she topped off his coffee.
“Are you trying to tell me something?” he asked.
She hesitated before nodding. “I’ve seen Bethany around town and at church, and she doesn’t look like she’s having much fun anymore.”
“When Bethany lets down her hair, she’s a lot of fun.”
Charlotte handed him his freshly poured coffee, filled her own mug, and tilted her head forward. “The key phrase being ‘when Bethany lets down her hair,’ right?”
He took a sip of coffee. “Afraid so, and it doesn’t happen nearly often enough anymore since Charlie died.”
“It’s not easy losing a spouse,” Charlotte said. “It takes some people more time than others to resume a sense of normalcy.”
“I understand that, and I’m working on—” He stopped himself before adding he felt a personal responsibility for getting her back to living.
Charlotte gave him an understanding nod. “I’m sure if anyone can pull her out of her sadness, you can.” She lifted a slip of paper. “Oh, by the way, Jeremy Maples called in this morning and asked if you were available sometime today to help with some bathroom plumbing.”
Pete crinkled his nose. “Any idea of the specifics?”
“He’s having some trouble replacing the wax ring on the toilet.”
“I can do that in my sleep.”
Charlotte chuckled. “You can do more plumbing in your sleep than most plumbers can do after five cups of coffee.”
Pete knew his dad was one of those people, and he suspected Charlotte was aware of that too. But neither of them was disrespectful enough to come right out and say it. Pete’s loyalty to his family ran deep, and Pete’s dad took a chance on hiring Charlotte, a friend of the family, when she couldn’t find work anywhere else.
Pete’s grandfather had started a business that his dad never had any desire to run, so it had
been a source of contention for the rest of Grandpop’s life. Once he passed, Pete’s dad tried to pour himself into the work, but his heart had never been in it, no matter how much he labored. At the end of every single day his dad worked at the family business, he looked as though he’d been in a street brawl. Pete, on the other hand, loved his work and thrived on helping customers with their plumbing problems.
The only thing Pete missed since he’d taken over running the company was being out and about among the customers. That was when Charlotte reminded him he was in charge, and if he wanted to help customers personally, he could. So he’d set that as a policy, and so far, it worked well.
After a morning filled with paperwork and payroll, Pete left for lunch. He’d barely made it out the door when Charlotte ran after him. “Jeremy’s on the phone. He wants to know if you can go to his house right away.” She made a face. “He says it’s extremely important that you get there right away.”
Pete thought for a moment and nodded. “Tell him I’m on my way.” He could grab a bite to eat after they finished.
The instant he pulled onto the street where the Maples family rented their house, he spotted Bethany’s car parked at the curb. He chuckled as he realized this was another setup, and now Gina was most likely in on the act.
As he walked into the Maples’ house, he saw Bethany was as surprised as he was. She smiled as she reached up and twirled the end of her shoulder-length blonde hair.
Gina Maples popped in, wiping her hands on a towel. “Glad you could make it for lunch.”
“Lunch?”
She nodded as she cast a curious look in her husband’s direction. “You did invite him to lunch, right?”
Jeremy’s face reddened as he shrugged. “I didn’t actually speak to him. I just told his receptionist I needed him to come early . . . and it was important.”
Gina laughed. “Oh, well, you’re here. I hope you haven’t eaten yet.”
“As a matter of fact, I haven’t.” He looked at Bethany and saw that her smile had faded a tad.
“Then you’ll stay for lunch, right?”