Because of Lauren: A Love Story

by Vivi Underwood

  Lauren laughed softly. How like Jonas. He told her he had to figure things out for himself. And he had, much sooner than she had expected. The Lord must have known he was ready and placed two dedicated missionaries in his path.

  “Did you feel he was ready for baptism when he left?” she asked them and wondered if they felt cheated, not being asked to perform the ordinance.

  “I believe he was ready for baptism before we began teaching him,” said Elder Jensen. “He told us why he wanted to meet with us and about his friend in New Jersey. We knew he wanted his friend to baptize him, but teaching Jonas was an extraordinary experience. We wouldn’t have missed it.”

  “Jonas is an extraordinary man,” said Lauren softly. “He was baptized the day before our wedding.” Her eyes misted and she turned to look at her husband. “As wedding presents go, he couldn’t have given me a better one.”

  Jonas looked at Lauren with pride and love and remembered he hadn’t told her of monopolizing the missionaries’ evenings for the better part of ten days. He brought their joined hands up and caressed her cheek. Then he shook hands with the elders. “Thank you again for all your efforts in teaching me. I am in your debt.”

  The Lauren Hart/Jonas Juul marriage caused a minor sensation in the ward. Some of the members had read Simon Berg’s columns and wasted no time passing the information along. But no one had expected them to be in church so soon after their marriage, and they were thrilled to see them there. After the block of meetings, everyone crowded around to wish them well. For Jonas and Lauren, it was one more very special homecoming.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Lauren and Jonas walked hand in hand along the path leading to the old bathhouse on the Viik estate. Summer was winding down, but there was still life on the water. They looked at each other and smiled as they caught sight of a couple of exuberant kids in wet suits cutting through the water on wave runners. Further out, Lauren spotted a small sailboat, while a lone man in a kayak glided noiselessly along the shore not far from where they stood. It suddenly struck Lauren that her children would grow up very much as her mother had, with easy access to the water both here and on the island.

  Now that they were exploring the grounds, she wondered why she had felt so overwhelmed by the prospect of moving. This was such an amazing property, a perfect place for hosting family and friends and an ideal location for church parties, especially on Midsummer’s Eve. She could already picture the bonfire they would build close to the shore and kids chasing all over the place, exploring. She could also picture her nephews in this setting and wondered if Cameron would allow his boys to come and spend part of their summers here.

  Lauren and Jonas had spent the morning with Mrs. Viik and her son, touring the house and every nook and cranny in it. Mrs. Viik had been lovely to them, making sure they knew exactly what they would be taking on, and very sympathetic when Jonas told her what their last couple of months had been like. Lauren knew she had misjudged the lady and that she wasn’t selfish, just excited to discover an apartment so perfectly suited to her needs. And knowing how much Jonas wanted the house for his new wife, Mrs. Viik thought she was doing them a favor by being willing to move so soon. Lauren felt ashamed for the unkind thoughts she had harbored.

  Jonas mentioned he thought Lauren might need a little time to adjust before pulling up stakes again, that she hadn’t expected the house to become available for a long time. A very understanding Mrs. Viik assured him Lauren could have the time she needed. Her son added that his mother hoped to be settled before winter set in, but if that were too soon for them, she would prefer to wait until spring. Mrs. Viik couldn’t have been more kind and cooperative.

  After seeing the house again, Lauren had that same warm feeling inside that she had felt eleven years ago and knew this house was meant for them. When she told Jonas, he closed his eyes in relief and hugged her. He, too, had known, the first time he toured the house.

  “Is fall too soon for you?” he asked her now. They had checked out the bathhouse and inspected the dilapidated dock and were heading back up the hill.

  Lauren shook her head. “No, fall will be fine.” Her eyes were somber as she looked at him. “I have been thinking Jonas. I think the reason I didn’t want to move before was because I loved your apartment, and I’d looked forward to living there with you. I also thought that until we had a family, we’d be rattling around in such a big house. But it’s deceiving. It gives the illusion of being much bigger than it is.”

  Jonas agreed. He had pictured their growing family in the house from the very first.

  “I am actually very excited about moving here now,” she assured him. “In fact, I can hardly believe our good fortune in being able to buy back the property.”

  He smiled in relief. Those were the words he had longed to hear.

  “And moving right in shouldn’t be a problem,” Lauren said, her enthusiasm gradually increasing. “Except for the kitchen, every room is in excellent condition. And the interior has such pleasing colors we may not even have to paint.” She pulled back and looked up at him. “I wonder why they neglected the kitchen in such a well-maintained home.”

  “This is only a guess,” Jonas mused, “But I don’t think Mrs. Viik stepped into the kitchen very often. That was the maids’ and housekeeper’s domain. It must not have occurred to her to update it, especially if they didn’t complain.”

  “You sound as if you speak from experience.”

  “I do. I had some work done to the kitchen in my grandparents’ villa before renting it out.”

  “I wouldn’t have thought men worried about such things. I think you must have a thing about kitchens,” she said, thinking of the gleaming one in his island house.

  “Probably because I’m used to cooking for myself. If you had seen the kitchen my grandmother put up with on the island all those years, you would have been shocked. I know it was just a summer home, but still . . .”

  “Well, I kind of like my grandmother’s old kitchen,” Lauren said with a laugh. “Especially the butler’s pantry.”

  “You’re joking.”

  With a deadpan expression, Lauren said, “Not at all. And after seeing it, I’m not sure we can get along without a butler after all.”

  “Come again?”

  “Did you miss the black box high up on the wall? In the butler’s pantry? With the twelve little open squares in it?”

  Jonas looked blank. “What black box?”

  “Oh, I remember, it was when you went outside with Morten to check out the garage. I asked Mrs. Viik what it was and she showed me. When she rang the doorbell by the service entrance, a number dropped down in one of the squares. She told me there were chimes for twelve different rooms in the house, starting with the front door at number one. The maids, or butler as the case might be, had the number for each room memorized, so they knew where to go when summoned.”

  Lauren saw the gleam in Jonas’ eyes, but all he said was, “Handy.”

  “So, as I said,” Lauren continued blithely, “I don’t see how we can get along without one. A butler that is. And if we remove the wall between the two rooms, it will mess everything up because that’s the wall the magic box is on.”

  “Uh-huh!” Jonas just managed to control his mirth. “Your idea has merit, Lauren. Did you by any chance want to keep the vintage stove as well? And the linoleum with the worn through areas?”

  “Don’t cast aspersions on the stove,” Lauren reprimanded him. “I’ll have you know my grandmother selected that very fine stove when the kitchen was last remodeled. In nineteen fifty-five! Mrs. Viik told me she was impressed by how well it had lasted, but she wasn’t surprised as it was a high-quality stove to begin with, the best on the market at the time.”

  Lauren finally broke down, threw herself into Jonas’ arms and together they laughed with merriment and sheer happiness.

  “I adore
Mrs. Viik,” she said when she could catch her breath. “The rest of the house is positively elegant and in perfect condition. And then you step into the kitchen.” Her laughing eyes skimmed his face. “You were right, Jonas, I don’t think we can put off redoing the kitchen. I’ll die laughing every time I step into it, picturing my grandmother at the stove.”

  “Oh? And why would that be cause for hilarity?”

  “My grandmother did not cook in those days. My mom told me once that according to a young kitchen maid who worked for them, her impression of my grandmother was that she was a fine lady and therefore didn’t do any work. But she did deign to step into the kitchen every afternoon, lift a couple of lids to see how dinner was coming along and satisfied, left again.” A soft giggle escaped, “I can just see my grandmother standing there, all regal, sniffing the aroma as she lifted those lids.”

  Jonas watched her face and felt tremendous relief. He had wanted this house so badly for her and had felt helpless when she seemed not to want it anymore. But here was his Lauren, the happy, exuberant, joyous woman he knew. He cupped her face and looked at her a long time. Finally, he said, “I love you, you crazy girl. We are going to be so happy here, Lauren, happier than we could ever imagine. This house was meant for us.” He kissed her lightly, then said, “The stove has to go, I’m afraid, but we’ll make sure you get exactly the kitchen you want. And we are going to salvage that black box and place it where it can be seen.” At her wide-eyed look, he added with a tender smile, “How else will I know where you are when you summon me?”

  That evening they invited Annie and William to dinner, their first attempt at entertaining as a married couple. They had so much to tell them and wanted to hear about their extended time in Utah.

  William’s first question the minute he stepped through the door was, “So where did you go on your honeymoon? Everyone was dying to know.” Then he took a closer look. “Not the Indian Ocean,” he concluded. “The tan is missing.”

  Lauren and Jonas looked at each other and burst out laughing. The Indian Ocean again!

  “Not the Seychelles,” Jonas agreed, “nor the Maldives. Lauren chose an island closer to home.”

  William looked at Lauren. “How close.”

  Annie grimaced at her twin. “Stop pestering them, William. It is none of your business where they went.”

  “Tell me, William,” said Lauren with interest, “why did you think we’d choose the Seychelles? And who started that rumor? You are the second person who has mentioned it.”

  William shrugged and took a seat on the sofa. “It’s quite luxurious and popular with honeymooners. There was speculation when we heard you’d flown back here after the wedding. That ruled out Hawaii and the Caribbean.”

  “Could I get you something to drink, William,” asked Jonas smoothly and gave Lauren a wink. “I am sure you must be thirsty.”

  “Depends. What are you offering?”

  “Juice or soft drinks. Or a combination. Choose your poison.”

  “I’ll take Lauren’s Choice if you’ve got it.”

  Jonas smiled at the frustrated look on William’s face. He liked a good gossip, and no one was accommodating him. “I’ve got it. How about you, Annie?”

  “Same for me, thanks,” she said. Sliding into a chair, she turned to Lauren. “You look happy, Lauren. Incredibly happy.”

  Lauren took the chair opposite. “That’s because Jonas is incredibly good at making his wife happy.”

  When Jonas returned with their drinks, she looked up at him with a smile of thanks. He handed the drinks around, then came and sat on the armrest of his wife’s chair.

  “I fixed us the same. Is that alright?” he said and leaned down and gave her a light kiss.

  She smiled straight into his eyes. “Perfect.”

  Watching them, Annie smiled, too. They were crazy in love with each other. She couldn’t have been happier for them.

  “William,” said Lauren after a while.

  “Yes,” replied William lazily. He had been watching the two of them and was shocked to realize he envied what they had together. That was a new sensation for him. He always thought he preferred variety, but now. . .

  “We went to the island,” she said softly. At William’s blank look, she added, “For our honeymoon. We went to Jonas’ island.”

  William gaped at her and looked to Jonas for confirmation.

  “Her choice,” nodded Jonas. “No pressure from me whatsoever. Not even a hint.”

  Annie smiled through sudden, unexpected tears. She knew what the island meant to Jonas, but she didn’t think he’d ever find a woman who loved it as he did. She had been wrong.

  She looked at Jonas and said with a small sniffle, “I’m ashamed to admit that initially I wondered if your net worth might be the attraction.”

  At Jonas’ lifted eyebrow, she justified her remark, “It wouldn’t have been the first time. But when I saw you together the night the four of us went to dinner, I changed my mind. I never imagined Lauren would be this perfect for you, though. I thought she’d haul you off to some overcrowded, exotic resort and you’d hate it, but be too nice to say anything.”

  “I did give her that option,” Jonas said with a grin. “She almost snarled at me!”

  Lauren’s peal of laughter made them all smile. “I did not! I don’t snarl. At least I don’t think I do. But Jonas let me have my way.” Her voice softened. “And we had a magical time. Didn’t we?”

  Jonas’ voice dropped an octave. “Magical,” he agreed and brushed her lips with his own again.

  Dinner was lively. Lauren had made lasagna which she served with a salad and crusty bread, and they all filled their plates more than once.

  “You can cook!” exclaimed William, impressed, after the first couple of bites. “This is really good. Is there anything you can’t do, Lauren?”

  “If there is, I haven’t discovered it yet,” Jonas said with pride. “She amazes me all the time.”

  “I’m glad you like it, William, and I like to cook. When I was young, I loved spending time in the kitchen with my mom. Thankfully some of what I learned stuck.” She looked at Annie and William expectantly. “Not to change the subject, but I want to hear about your trip. Where did you go and what did you see?”

  “Annie saw a lot of your brother,” William replied provocatively.

  Lauren’s eyes rested on Jonas before moving on to Annie. A slow smile broke out across her face. She knew she had seen something special between them the night of her wedding.

  “You’ve been seeing Cameron? Did he stay on after the wedding?”

  “William is giving you the wrong impression,” said Annie easily. “Your brother had already planned a week’s stay when he came for the wedding, so he offered to show us the national parks in southern Utah. It was an awesome experience. He knew the area so well that we felt we had our own personal guide. And he was an easy traveling companion, wasn’t he William?”

  William nodded agreement. “Yes, he was. I like your brother, Lauren.”

  Lauren’s eyes softened. “Oh, so do I. The last few years have been rough for him, but I’m glad he is finally coming out of it. He was always such a good guy.”

  “That was our impression of him, too. He invited us along when he went to pick up his boys in Wyoming,” said Annie. “He thought we might like a real Western experience. William declined, but I took him up on the offer. I stayed overnight on the ranch. His ex-wife’s parents were very hospitable, and it was fun getting to know the twins.

  “They thought it was cool that we were distant cousins. They begged me to fill in a chart with the names of ancestors so they could see where we connected, which I would never have known if not for you, Jonas.” Annie smiled fondly. “They taught me how to ride a horse, and in my honor, dinner was a Western barbecue. Even though it was short, I loved my visit to Wyoming
.”

  “Kellie’s parents are good people,” Lauren agreed. “They are just as distraught over their daughter’s behavior as the rest of the family and have been very supportive of Cameron and the twins.”

  “Yes, I could tell they were fond of Cameron, and they adore those boys. I’m glad I got to meet everyone and got a taste of the Wild West!”

  Jonas’ eyes rested on Annie’s face. Just as Lauren had on the night of their wedding, he had seen something indefinable between her and Lauren’s brother. “I assume the two of you will stay in touch,” he said casually.

  Annie looked at him and laughed softly. “If you are trying to be nosy in a subtle way, Jonas, you are not succeeding. And yes, we plan on staying in touch. I shouldn’t admit this, but he is the first man I have met in five years who interests me.”

  William’s laughter filled the room. “Interests you? She fell for him like a ton of bricks! If he had asked her to stay and marry him, she would have said yes in under a second!”

  “William!”

  William’s face softened as he looked at his twin. “Am I wrong, Annie? Did I read all the signs wrong?”

  “It isn’t that simple, William.” She sighed and looked at Jonas when she spoke. She knew he would understand. “My life is here, his is in Denver with his boys. He’s LDS. I am not.”

  “He married a Latte-day Saint the first time around,” her brother pointed out. “Look how well that turned out for him.”

  “William!” Annie exclaimed for the second time. “Will you please think before you speak?”

  Lauren stood and began gathering the dinner plates before serving dessert. While her hands were busy, she said to Annie, “If you’re are trying to spare my feelings it isn’t necessary. Latter-day Saints are normal human beings and, unfortunately, not all marriages turn out the way we’d like them to. Cameron loved Kellie, and she broke his heart. You know how devastating that can be. If being with you has brought joy back into Cameron’s life, I am happy for him and grateful to you.”