by Lyn Cote
Finally he ended the kiss. She rested her head on his chest, comforted by his racing, thudding heart under her ear. Gently he urged her back into her chair. “After you eat, I’ll stay till you go to bed. If you need me, just call.”
She rested her head against him, not feeling the need to reply. Words weren’t necessary.
Pete gently stroked her hair, and the two of them found peace in silence together. Eleanor thought she had aged about twenty years today, but all that mattered was that everyone was safe. And loved.
Nearly a month later Pete carried one end of a sofa into the Paxtons’ finished Habitat house. Jenelle and Kevan were moving in today. The volunteers called out cheerful encouragement to each other. Pete’s own joy bubbled up and burst forth in an easy laughter and an unquenchable smile.
Eleanor appeared to be filled with the same exuberance. Kevan and Jenelle glowed with happiness, and little Tiesha couldn’t stop hopping and singing. Uncle Dex kept busy carrying in boxes, high-fiving everybody in sight. He’d decided to take his nephew up on his offer to rent a suite in the basement. Or the future suite. Pete had offered to help Kevan put in a second bathroom along with a bedroom in the basement. Luis and Colby had offered to help, too.
A delivery truck from the local furniture store lurched to a noisy stop in front of the Paxton house. The first two families to receive Habitat houses—Rosa and Marc Chambers and their son Johnny, and Jeannie and Jake McClure and their twin girls—all shouted with delight.
Pete looked around, a bit confused.
The driver stalked toward them, looking disgruntled, plainly put out. “I have another anonymous delivery to make here. For the third time. Who are the Paxtons?”
Eleanor burst into laughter, and many others joined her. “Let me guess. You have a bedroom set for the Paxtons?”
“Yeah. Now, am I going to have to stand here and argue with you people, or can my guy and me just get the set inside?”
Kevan and Jenelle looked confused. “But we didn’t—”
Rosa Chambers rushed to them. “It happened to both of us, too.” She gestured toward the McClure clan. “On our moving-in days, a bedroom set was delivered from an anonymous donor.”
“Lady,” the delivery man moaned, “I just want to deliver and get on with my day!”
At this, the crowd laughed even louder. The driver looked ready to explode.
“Please,” Eleanor said for the still-dazed Paxtons. “Bring the furniture right in.”
Within short order, a lovely, walnut bedroom set filled the master bedroom. The delivery men waved without looking back, and their truck soon left with a grinding of gears.
Kevan and Jenelle stood in the doorway of their bedroom.
“This is the nicest furniture I’ve ever owned,” Jenelle whispered.
Kevan leaned down and kissed her. “I told you we’d love living away from the city.”
Eleanor whispered in Pete’s ear. “My dad is the secret benefactor. He told me this morning that he did it because he wanted to support my work on these three projects, and he couldn’t be here till just recently.”
Pete barely digested this.
Then Jenelle exclaimed with surprise, “Oh! Oh!” She ran for the bathroom and then called through the door. “Kevan, I’m in labor! Bring me some dry clothes!”
There was a rush to paw through the clothing boxes, and then Kevan and Jenelle were heading off toward the hospital. Tiesha clung to Mavis and Kerry Ann’s hands, looking concerned.
Mavis stooped down. “Now don’t you worry about your mama. The doctors and nurses will take good care of her.”
“That’s right,” Dex added. “And Aunt Mavis and I will take care of you.”
Kerry Ann also stooped. “Yes, and before you know it, you’ll have a new brother or sister.”
“I’m getting a new sister. She’s named Jenna,” Cassie piped up. “When my daddy marries Miss Ellie.”
The volunteers gathered around Pete and Eleanor with congratulations. The men pounded Pete’s back, and the women asked if a date had been set. Pete pulled Eleanor close under his arm. She basked in the genuine affection and joy from these good friends.
Epilogue
The day of Pete’s parents’ fortieth-wedding-anniversary party came the following weekend. Pete couldn’t tell if his mother had guessed or heard about the surprise for them. His dad, however, was completely astonished and couldn’t stop grinning. A coup if there ever was one.
The grounds behind the Island City Lake Resort abounded with the Beck clan and countless old friends. Jenelle and Kevan had brought their brand-new son, Vincent, along with big sister, Tiesha, and Uncle Dex. Danny Miller and Mike stood under a tree, looking smug. They’d just won the db Drag Racing World Championship. Pete chuckled to himself. The Becks were a family filled with individuals.
Eleanor came and slipped her arm into his. “It’s time to cut the cake.” They walked to join his parents at the long table draped with a spotless, white tablecloth, compliments of the resort. A vast sheet cake, decorated with daisies, his mother’s favorite flower, nearly covered the table.
His parents stood behind the cake, suffering all the people snapping pictures of them. His mother wore one of her long summer dresses, and his dad was in his usual special-occasion, crisp, white dress shirt and black slacks.
Just before his mother ceremonially cut the first piece of cake, she looked archly at Pete. “Don’t you have an announcement to make?”
He grinned, really wanting to dance around the cake with his own happiness. He pulled Eleanor to his side and motioned Nicky, Cassie and Jenna to stand in front of them. “Eleanor and I would like to officially announce our engagement.”
He lifted her hand, displaying the vintage ring which had belonged to his great-grandmother. Suzann had refused it, wanting a modern ring. Eleanor, of course, had been deeply touched by the family connection and had loved it on sight. “We have set the date for next August on this same day!”
The last of his words were overwhelmed by applause and shouts of praise and encouragement. Someone tapped a glass with a spoon. Pete obliged by pulling Eleanor close and kissing her. Jenna, Nicky and Cassie crowded around them, smiling and laughing.
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. And sometimes the joy. Another person, then many people, tapped their glasses. He kissed Eleanor again. And then pulled her away.
“Cut the cake, Mother! I want to kiss Eleanor in private.”
Gales of laughter cascaded around them. He kept Eleanor at his side, and all three children stood in front of them. He rested a hand on Jenna’s shoulder and Eleanor rested one on Nicky’s.
In light of her own lonely childhood, at the beginning of this summer, she’d doubted her ability to love a child. But over the past three months her heart had expanded because of Pete Beck. Now she loved a good man, his son and daughter, and Jenna. The more love she gave, the more she found she could give. Love didn’t divide; it multiplied. It was a wonder, a miracle. Her heart sang as she affectionately squeezed Nicky’s—her future son’s—shoulder.
Then she turned her face and Pete began kissing her. She didn’t pull away despite shyness at kissing in front of all these people. A chuckle formed in her throat as she listened to their friends’ and families’ loud approval—wolf whistles, applause and shouts of encouragement. And why not? They were building a family together—with God’s help.
Dear Reader,
I hope you enjoyed the three books in this NEW FRIENDS STREET series. I’ve loved creating these families who are facing the problems that are so common in our society today. Building a family takes work and dedication and love. If we depend solely on our own strength, we can fail. God’s love and power can overcome our faults and ease their consequences.
That’s one of the best parts of belonging to God. We know He is in charge of today and tomorrow. And had forgiven us for any mistakes we made yesterday.
Questions for Discussion
Why did
Eleanor think her mother didn’t love her?
Is it ever possible to know for sure what another person’s motives are? If so, how?
Have you ever known a couple like Kerry Ann and Harry, complete opposites? Do opposites really attract? And is that good?
Have you ever tried some new food? If so, what?
Kevan was a veteran. How was he working to be a good dad and husband?
Have you ever known a free spirit like Kerry Ann? Why do you think some people can always look on the sunny side of the street?
What do you think Pete should have said to Suzann that he didn’t say? Or did he handle it just right?
ISBN: 978-1-4592-1479-8
BUILDING A FAMILY
Copyright © 2011 by Lyn Cote
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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