Sidney paused, and breathed in.“What was the higher purpose in my husband’s infidelity? I loved him, I prayed for him. I’ve been loving God my whole life. I thought it was supposed to be different.”
Betty’s eyes filled with tears and her face showed so much compassion it took Sidney’s breath away.“I know, dear. It’s not fair when other’s people’s choices crash into our lives and ruin them. It wassupposed to be different. This whole world was supposed to be different. You can’t escape the pain in this world, no matter how good you are. That’s why we need to invite God into the mess. Only he can build and make something beautiful with the ruins.”
Sidney hardly knew what to say. She never thought she’d have a conversation about faith with Betty.“Wow, Betty. I had no idea you were such a deeply reverent woman.”
Betty hugged her, laughing.“Kell said the same thing. Faith is private. I don’t go around wearing mine like a jacket. But, it’s my heart and soul. It’s the stuff of substance. No one sees the foundation of a house, but it’s what keeps the house upright.”
“I guess so. My faith is weak right now. It’s not strong.”
Betty rubbed her head and touched her cheek.“God loves you, my dear, and he’s working. Besides, there’s always Kell. You two sure looked good dancing together.”
Sidney laughed.“Yeah, right. I don’t think Kell is ready for a relationship. He mentioned that his wife died. It explained a lot.”
“Chelsea was her name. Kell moved back to the island after it all ended. I feel like he aged ten years in a few months. He lost Chelsea and their baby and right before that his mom died. He used to smile a lot more. He used to be happy, carefree. He was always quiet, but not brooding, not so introverted and reserved.”
“That’s terrible.” Sidney pondered Betty’s words for a moment.“I owe him an apology. I misunderstood him.”
“He loved Chelsea with all the passion in him and she loved Kell too. I hate cancer.”
“Now I understand why he’s so shut down and reserved. It’s like he’s hiding behind very tall walls.”
“He is. But I’ve always thought, hoped, someone would come along who has the gumption to help him tear them down.”
“She’d have to be a patient woman.”
“Or really bold.”
Sidney smiled. She glanced at her watch. It was late and she needed to get a lot done for Thanksgiving.“I better get to sleep.”
“Rest well, dear.”
She kissed Betty on the cheek and squeezed her shoulder.“You too.”
~
Pastor Matt’s bones ached that morning more than usual. He was tired from the all the fall activities. He’d learned to be grateful for four hours of uninterrupted sleep, but the last few nights were worse than usual. He tossed and turned, feeling an impending doom hover over him. Things were bad at the church now. They were pressuring him to retire, talking about all these young pastors applying for the job. They’d said the church was ready for something new, a bit more modern. He wanted to scream and yell and tell them he wasn’t getting old. He didn’t want to quit. But, he was too tired to do all that.
He missed his wife Jane. She’d make him tea and tell him it would all be okay. But it didn’t seem to be okay. Betty had still not gone back with Dan, Kell was acting stranger than normal, and he didn’t like thinking about this Candace situation, either. It brought up buried memories. Memories he didn’t want to think of. He couldn’t understand why they were coming up now. He’d dealt with other young women who were unmarried and pregnant over the years. Why was it triggering his past now? He’d buried his past and wanted those memories to stay in the grave. Hopefully, this would all blow over very soon.
He crawled out of bed, put his pants on, and headed out of his room to get a cup of tea. It was later in the morning than when he usually woke up and the house was damp and drafty. After he put on a sweater, he glanced out the front door and spotted Sidney Franklin traipsing across the lawn. She waved at him. He paused. She was coming right toward him. He opened the door.
“Hi Matt,” she said, climbing up the stairs.“How are you?”
He scratched his head.“Oh, fine. Nothing too exciting.” He motioned for her to come through the door.“Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?”
“I’d love to, but I can’t stay. I came by because I wanted to confirm about Thanksgiving. You guys are coming, right?”
“Yes,we are. Thank you for inviting us. We’d love to come if you’re sure it’s okay to bring Amanda and her sister, Mary.”
Sidney nodded in understanding.“Sure. Of course.”
“I’ll do that. It’ll be lovely. Thanks again for inviting us.” He sighed deeply and pushed his glasses further up his nose.
“Are you doing okay, Matt?” Sidney asked.
He had wandered into the kitchen trying to find the tea bags. For some reason he couldn’t remember where he’d put them.“Oh yes, just a bit tired is all. I’m looking for my tea bags.”
Sidney reached across him, toward the counter and pulled out a small box just off to the side of the sink.“Are these the teabags you were looking for?”
How in the world could he have been strutting about his kitchen trying to find that tin box when it was sitting right in front of him?“I can’t believe I didn’t see those.”
Sidney took him by the arm.“Why don’t you sit down. I’d love to make you a cup of tea.”
“Oh no, it’s fine.”
“I insist.”
She sat him down at the small kitchen table and poured the hot water into his cup. She went to the refrigerator, found the milk, and poured it into the cup as well. She even noticed the Splenda that was on the table and reached for it.“One packet or two?”
“One is fine,” he said. His voice sounded tired, even to him.
She sat down at that table in front of him and after a few moments, he felt himself relax in her presence.
“Matt, I don’t mean to pry into your personal life, but just out of curiosity, have you ever considered retirement?”
He whipped up his head and furrowed his eyebrows.“Why does everyone keep talking to me about retirement? Being a pastor is not the same as working a normal job. It’s a calling, you know.”
Sidney’s eyes widened.“Of course it is. I shouldn’t have mentioned it. My grandfather used to say the same thing.” She tipped her head to the side.“I actually came here because I was wondering if we could talk about Candace and Astrid.”
“What do you mean?”
“The holidays are coming up and I was hoping there was something we could do to bridge the gap between them. I’d hate to see Candace estranged from her family for much longer. Also, she’s asked me to help her find an adoption agency. I was hoping maybe you could help me with that too.”
He pinched his lips together. He was annoyed that Sidney asked him about retirement. Did he look that old? His palms started to sweat. Candace was fine where she was. He wanted out of the whole situation.“I’m not sure Candace wants us meddling in her life. She’s determined to do her own thing.”
“I don’t think we’re meddling. I’m sure Astrid misses her granddaughter and just wanted to do a little tough love. You’re the pastor. Isn’t it your job to help with these sorts of family issues? Candace is trying to do the right thing.”
Pastor Matt looked out the window. He liked Sidney but he didn’t like this conversation. He felt like a young seminary student again - small and powerless“Candace walked away from church when she was barely a teenager. She doesn’t want my help.”
Sidney sighed. She shook her head, almost in confusion. Pastor Matt swallowed. He knew he was being rude.
Sidney spoke slowly.“Just because she doesn’t want to go to church, doesn’t mean she doesn’t want help,” she said.“She doesn’t want to be manipulated.”
“No one’s trying to manipulate her. We only want to know who the father is.”
“She’s not going to tell. Maybe peop
le should trust that she’s got a good reason, or trust that the truth will come out at the right time, or maybe people should stop pressuring her to conform to their ideas of right and wrong.”
Matt’s feelings, mind, and whole body ruffled.“There is no reason why she should give that baby up for adoption without telling the father. He should have a choice in all this. What if he wants the baby? What she should be doing is getting married.”
Sidney shook her head and glared at him.“To be honest, I don’t think that’s any of our business.”
“It’s a matter of right and wrong, Sidney. We can’t aid her in doing what is wrong.”
“I realize that. But if people would stop pestering her about telling them who the father is, maybe it’ll come out in the end.” Sidney’s voice was getting tighter and tighter.“Right now, she needs to feel supported. It’s easier to do what is right when you don’t feel like the world is against you. Candace may act hard and rebellious on the outside but she’s not. She a young girl who feels alone and she’s trying to do the right thing.”
“Like I said, the right thing is for her to tell us who the young man is so he can do the right thing by her.”
“Matt, we’re not living in the early twentieth century anymore. There’s a lot of ways for Candace to do the right thing.”
“No, there’s not. Not in God’s view, anyway.”
“That’s ridiculous Matt.” She stood.“This conversation is not quite what I expected.” She pushed in her chair.“You know, I’ve got to go.”
She left his house and marched down his front steps. He wondered if his Thanksgiving invitation had just expired. His head hurt. His stomach fluttered. His hands were clammy. Who was she to school him in right and wrong? He’d been a pastor for forty years. He’d preached to his church on right and wrong his entire adult life. Whether Sidney liked it or not, Candace was in the wrong not to tell the father. Besides, if he got involved with the adoption side of it, Astrid would throw a fit.
And what was that comment about how he needed to think about retirement? What did Sidney Franklin know, anyways?
He threw the rest of his tea into the sink. His afternoon of reading the newspaper and drinking his favorite blend was ruined.
~
Sidney stomped through Matt’s yard, ready to throw something. Sometimes the passivity of men drove her crazy. On her way out of the yard, she bumped right into Kell. He was carrying his fishing gear and had a newspaper under his arm. Jake was nowhere to be seen.“Oh,hi,” she said.“I didn’t see you.”
“Hey.” He focused on her for a moment.“Everything okay? You look mad.”
“Yes. I am. I had a disagreement with your father.”
“Uh oh, what happened?”
“I don’t want to get you involved in it.” Sidney turned to go, but then turned back again.“I tried to talk to him about Candace, and we did not agree. And what’s up with his defensiveness about retirement?”
Kell laughed.“My dad freaks out when anyone mentions retirement. He’s afraid of getting old. And at the root of it, I think he doesn’t believe anyone will love his church as much as he does.”
“Well, we had a very big disagreement just now. He was confused about where he put the tea bags and wandering around in the kitchen. It made me want to put tuck him up in a chair and make sure he was okay. But it went wrong after I mentioned retirement.
“He doesn’t want to be treated like he’s falling apart. He wants everyone to still see him as a strong man.”
“He also got mad when I suggested we help Candace find an adoption agency.”
“My dad doesn’t want to upset Astrid Peterson.”
“Why does it matter so much what Astrid Peterson thinks?”
“It’s hard to ignore people who use their money to get their way. Do you want me to talk with him?” Kell asked.
“Will he listen to you?”
“He might.”
Sidney put her fingers to her forehead. She shook her head from side to side.“Matt is a dear man. I like him a lot. I don’t want to cause any problems between the two of you. I’ll try and talk to him before Thanksgiving. Are you and Jake coming?”
“Jake wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
She put her hand on her hip.“What does that say for you?”
He smiled.“I’ll be there. What can we bring?”
“What do you like to make?”
“Lots of things.”
Sidney raised her eyebrows and twiddled with her necklace. Since Betty told her about his wife’s death, she felt a new sense of compassion for the doctor, like his irritability and gruff manner were somehow more understandable.“How about a dessert, and maybe a side dish?”
“You got it.”
“Any chance you could talk to Astrid? I mean, you’re the doctor. Maybe you could convince her to try and restore her relationship with Candace?”
Kell thought for a moment.“I have to be careful to make sure her confidentiality isn’t compromised.”
“She’s just a girl. She needs more from her grandmother than idle threats.”
“Let me think about it for a couple of days. If there’s a way I can talk to Astrid without compromising Candace, I’ll do it.”
“Thanks Dr. Kellen.”
“I thought you were going to call me Kell?”
“That’s right. I forgot.”
His whole face seemed to be smiling at her. He stared at her for a moment. It made her run her fingers through her hair. Maybe her hair was frizzing everywhere. She decided to move the conversation back to Candace.“Candace is due in the spring.”
“I know. I’m her doctor,” Kell smirked.
“Right. I knew that.” Then, she told him she’d see him on Thursday for Thanksgiving.
“How’s it going with getting guests for next week?” he asked.
“Really well,” she said, shifting her weight.
“So, Astrid’s article in the newspaper didn’t trouble you?”
“What article?”
Kell raised an eyebrow at her.“You didn’t see it? I hope nothing comes of it.”
“What did she do?”
He pulled the newspaper out from under his arm and held it out.“She put an article in the newspaper and has made it clear that The Wild Ivy Inn would not be undersold. She’d provide better rates and she said something about how The Wild Ivy Inn was renown for their good food, unlike other new island establishments.”
Sidney’s face turned red as she took the newspaper. In bold lettering at the top of the front page. PEREZ ISLAND’S NEW BED AND BREAKFAST—NAMELESS AND SHAMELESS.
“I can’t believe the nerve of that woman. To think I’ve been trying to come up with a way to help her reunite with her granddaughter. How could she do such a thing?”
“You’re on a small island now, Sidney. People can be very trivial.”
She put her hands on her hips.“Trivial is saying it nicely.”
He laughed.“She’s threatened.”
“I don’t understand why.” She scanned the newspaper article.
Perez Island’s New Bed and Breakfast
Nameless and Shameless
Sidney Franklin, originally from Seattle, moved to Perez only a few short months ago. Known as the woman who can’t cook, the islanders find it odd she would decide to open a bed and breakfast.“She’s a snippety, redheaded woman,” claims Astrid Peterson. Franklin claims her first guests are going to have the honor of helping her name the inn, but to most of the islanders it seems she lacks creativity.
She attracts strays and puts them to work. It is also rumored she might go back to Seattle at the end of the year.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if she left,” says Peterson.“Young people were not designed to run inns. They should be busy taking care of families.”
Astrid Peterson, long-time owner of The Wild Ivy Inn and foundational member of Perez Island’s community, knows Ms. Franklin personally.
Sidney Franklin comes
from Seattle, was a high school English and drama teacher and inherited the mansion from her great-uncle Victor Smith. It is believed that Victor originally gave the house to Franklin’s grandmother.
“All I can say, for those who are concerned, is that The Wild Ivy won’t be undersold. If you’re looking for risk, and possible food poisoning, by all means stay at her un-named bed and breakfast. If you want consistency and long-standing tradition, come to The Wild Ivy.”
Astrid Peterson has promised she will personally lower anyone’s rate who would like to cancel their reservation with Ms. Franklin.“We simply don’t know what she’s going to feed her guests. We can’t be too cautious. My inn is renowned in all the islands for good food and clean sheets. Sidney Franklin’s inn doesn’t even have a name yet.”
“That mean,vicious woman. She is not going to get away with this. How did she manage to get this article into print?”
“Astrid owns the town newspaper.”
“This is infuriating. I am going to go over to that blasted inn to give her a piece of my mind.”
Kell took a step back. His furrowed his brow.“I didn’t mean to surprise you.”
She waved her hand in the air, walking away.“No, I’m glad you mentioned something. I might have gone around town like a fool.”
She marched back to her house, almost forgetting the argument with Pastor Matt. Thank goodness Kell showed her that article. She could almost see why all the women on the island liked him so much. He was more caring than she’d thought.
“Betty? Are you here?” she called out, slamming her front door.
Betty came out of the kitchen with flour on her face.“I’m making more pie crusts. With all the guests you’re inviting, we’re going to need a half dozen at least.”
Sidney waved the newspaper in the air.“Look at this article in the local paper! Astrid Peterson is doing everything she can to sabotage my opening weekend.”
An Ordinary Love (A Christian Contemporary Romance) (Sidney's Sanctuary Book 1) Page 17