They stared at each other for a second, then laughed in unison. Ethan held up his hands. “Are we taking this code thing too far?”
Julie sat down at the nook with him. “Well, maybe just a little. Besides, we have dinner with Elizabeth and Kavan tonight.”
“Oh, right. I’ll play another night.” He bit into his egg. “I suppose we’d better break the news to your mom and dad tomorrow.”
Julie reached for the butter. “We should have told them this weekend when we had lunch with them after church.”
“You’re right. I just know it will hit your mom hard.” He sipped his coffee.
Julie nodded, spreading a thin layer of butter on her toast. “It will, but she’s a strong woman. If we wait too long, they’ll hear it from someone else, and that’s not right. They need to hear it from us.”
“Do you know why they never adopted?”
“Dad didn’t have the inclination. At least that’s what sticks out in my mind.”
Ethan finished his breakfast and took his plate to the kitchen sink. He checked his watch. “It’s getting late. We’d better hurry.”
One last bite and Julie finished her breakfast. She passed her plate to Ethan, who stood by the dishwasher waiting, and said with a wink, “One of these days, I’m going to learn how to use that thing.”
“Warn me first so I don’t have a heart attack.”
“Ha-ha, what a funny man for a Monday morning.”
In a few minutes, Ethan met her at the door. “Should we meet here before going over to Elizabeth and Kavan’s? I might just go over from work.”
She tiptoed to kiss him. “Okay, be there by six.”
Outside, a chilly breeze cut through the parking lot. Ethan stopped Julie before she went to her car. “I want to pray for you before you go. I liked what Pastor Marlow said in church yesterday about speaking blessings over our families.”
“I’d love a blessing.” Julie leaned her head against his chest.
Ethan set his laptop down and encircled her with his arms. “Bless my wife, Lord, my good wife. I pray she would know how much You, and I, love her.”
Julie looked up at him with moist eyes when he said amen. “Thank you, Ethan. I pray the same for you.”
Ethan watched Julie drive away, wincing as the car jerked and sputtered out of the apartment complex. He made a mental note to work with her on shifting gears in a high-performance car. Her old jalopy drove like a tired mare compared to the horsepower of the S2000.
When the car vanished from his view, he walked toward his car and called his grandpa. “Can you meet downtown at three o’clock?”
“I’ll be there.”
Twenty-one
The first week of April, Julie swerved into the school parking lot with zeal for the day—and an idea.
Walking through the front doors as the first bell rang, she dug her cell phone from her purse and dialed Grandma Lambert.
“Hi, Grandma.” Julie walked the hall with dozens of kids scurrying to class.
“Julie, good morning. What can I do for you at this hour?”
“I need help planning a surprise.”
“I’m your woman.” Grandma suddenly sounded ten years younger. “Who are we surprising?”
“Ethan.” Julie entered her classroom as the second bell tolled. “The night we got back from Florida, we took a ride to the bridge and Ethan asked me to marry him again.”
Grandma chuckled. “I see. Florida must have gone well.”
Julie smiled. “Yes, it did.” She motioned for her class to come in and settle down.
“Good for you! So what do you have in mind?”
“Well, it occurred to me that when a man asks a woman to marry him, a wedding should follow.”
Grandma caught her breath. “A second wedding.”
“Well, there was a second proposal.”
“A grand idea, my dear.”
Sophia popped into the classroom as Julie made final arrangements to meet Grandma at Peri’s Perk after school.
“How was your weekend?” Sophia whispered as Julie pressed the End button on her cell.
“Wonderful.”
Sophia cocked her head to one side. “So I see. You’re glowing. By the way, you never told me about Florida.”
“I’ll talk to you about it later.” Julie tapped her watch.
Sophia left after making Julie promise to have lunch with her and give her all the details.
Julie’s thoughts were all over the place when she finally called her first class of the day to order. Where to have the ceremony? When? How to get Ethan there? Would she get any teaching done today? She was too excited to focus. Until Miles Stanford raised his hand.
“What are we playing for the spring recital, Mrs. Lambert?”
“You mean you haven’t been practicing? Oh, Miles.” With a chuckle, Julie went to the blackboard and scribbled out the recital program, again.
❧
Ethan waited outside Earth-n-Treasures, slumping down in the driver’s seat, hoping no one would see him. When Grandpa tapped on his window, he jerked forward.
“Why are you ducking down like a teenager skipping school?” Grandpa asked as Ethan stepped into the street.
“I don’t want any of Julie’s friends to see me.”
“Well, let’s get going then.”
A red velvet strip with silver bells rang out when Ethan pushed open Earth-n-Treasures’ front door. Some of the letters on the glass had been scraped away with the swishing of the bells back and forth.
Cindy Mae, the store’s owner, came around the counter to greet him. “How’s my favorite Lambert?”
Ethan gave her a slight hug. “I bet you say that to all the Lamberts.”
“I was talking to your grandpa.” Cindy Mae tossed her thick blond braid over her shoulder with a sly grin and hugged the Lambert patriarch.
Grandpa chuckled. “How are you, Cindy Mae?”
“Meaner than a bear in winter.”
Ethan laughed. “Spring’s around the corner, Cindy Mae.” He leaned over the jewelry case.
Cindy Mae walked around. “What can I help you gentlemen with today?”
“Something for Julie. A ring. Not expensive, but not cheap. I can’t spend too much right now.” Ethan pointed over his shoulder at his grandpa. “I brought him along to help me choose.”
Cindy Mae pulled a few items out of the case. “I saw her driving around in a fancy sports car.”
“Right.” Ethan focused on the pieces Cindy Mae passed under his gaze, not willing to rehash the car ordeal with her. He loved her like a neighbor, but she was one of the strongest links in the town’s gossip chain.
“Are you looking for an anniversary band, a new diamond, what?” Cindy Mae placed several more pieces in front of him.
Ethan examined each one, soliciting Grandpa’s opinion. They were all pretty but too ordinary. He wanted something unique and extraordinary, like Julie.
After fifteen minutes of telling Cindy Mae no and asking to see something else, she said, “I suppose I could design you a piece.”
He hesitated. “Well—”
“Oh, wait.” Cindy Mae clapped her hands. She dashed into a back room, hollering over her shoulder, “Brill and I just returned from an estate sale.”
With a grimace, Ethan confessed to Grandpa, “A few months from now, I could afford this better, but since I asked her to marry me again, I was hoping—”
“Let’s wait and see what Cindy Mae brings out. You never know, son. The Lord just might surprise you.” Grandpa rocked back and forth on his heels, hands in his pockets.
“Here we go.” Cindy Mae emerged from the back room. She set a cardboard box on the counter with a thump. Dust billowed.
Ethan’s heart wilted. What in the world could be in that box for Julie—a Cracker Jack prize?
He couldn’t look. Instead, he let Grandpa peer into the junk box while he studied more rings under the glass counter.
I have about two gr
and to spend. Maybe if I talk to Will about next quarter’s bonus. . . He sighed. They really needed to concentrate on paying off the last of their medical bills and replenishing their savings. He didn’t want to live in that apartment forever. What if they decided to adopt? Should they start saving for that right now?
Besides all that, he felt a little guilty spending the money without consulting Julie. But surely surprises didn’t fall under Lambert’s Code, did they?
“Ah, here it is.” Cindy Mae’s voice echoed across the small shop as she pulled out a velvet ring box. She popped open the lid and showed it to Grandpa.
Ethan leaned on the counter and watched his grandpa’s expression. One snarl and he’d know. But the older man smiled. Big.
“I think we’ve found a winner.”
Ethan hurried over. He saw a dingy band with delicate vines winding between two diamond and two emerald stones. What? It’s hideous. He didn’t know what to say, so he asked, “How much?”
Cindy Mae twisted up her face like she was about to announce he’d won a million dollars. “How much do you want to spend?”
“As little as possible.” He sounded cheap, but he had to be honest.
Cindy Mae’s grand master expression fell. “How much is that?”
Ethan gestured to the ring. “Cindy Mae, I wouldn’t pay a hundred dollars for the ring.
She huffed. “Amateurs.” She waved the ring under his nose. “This is real platinum, Ethan, with real diamonds and real emeralds.”
Grandpa laughed and motioned toward Cindy Mae. “This is why he brought me along. Shine it up.”
❧
Julie waited at Peri’s Perk for Grandma. Late afternoon, the coffee and sandwich café was quiet. Peri and her employees sat together at a table in the back, talking and drinking coffee.
Sipping her latte, Julie reviewed the yellow legal paper in front of her.
New dress
Get nails and hair done.
Cake by Ramona (if she has time)
New shoes (definitely)
Fresh flowers
Invitations
Buffet food (Grandma and Mom)
Mom’s linen, silver/china
A few minutes later, Grandma came through the door, her cheeks a rosy red, her eyes sparkling. “Sorry I’m late.”
Peri approached their table. “Hello, Mrs. Lambert. Can I get you anything?”
Grandma patted Peri’s hand. “Yes, Matt raves about your chocolate toffee coffee. Let me try one of those.”
Peri nodded. “Hot or cold?”
“Hot, please. There’s a chill in the air today.”
Julie moaned. “The weatherman says we’re warming up starting tomorrow.”
“Let’s hope,” Peri said. “Can I refresh your cup, Julie? On the house.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Peri hurried away. Julie slid her list across the table. “Can you think of anything else?”
Grandma perched her reading glasses on her nose and read. “Well, this is lovely, but I had a different thought in mind.” She smiled widely.
Julie pulled the paper back across the table, an excitement stirring in her. “What?”
“Well, your first wedding was a big to-do. How about something simple but romantic and cozy this time.”
Julie chewed on her bottom lip. Hmm. . . “Like what?”
“We could decorate our back deck and yard with white lights and build a big bonfire.”
“Oh, we could wear jeans and sweaters.”
“Matt could grill out. I could serve hot cider.”
“Perfect, Grandma. I love it.”
“Shall you enlist the Merewether Quartet?”
Scribbling on the paper, Julie agreed. “Yes, outdoor music. Kit can find someone to take my place, or just have the violins and viola play.”
“We can hold the ceremony at twilight. I have plenty of white lights and candles from Christmas.”
“Oh, candles.” Julie added candles to the list. “I wanted a candlelight ceremony the first time, but Ethan said he would go crazy waiting until evening.”
Grandma laughed. “He was ready to get married.”
Julie leaned toward Grandma. “We loved each other, Grandma, but this ceremony is about a deeper commitment; it’s about enduring love.”
Grandma pressed her hand on Julie’s. “I’m proud of you kids. You’ve endured difficulty and came out shining on the other side. I know many couples wouldn’t have weathered such storms.”
Julie tapped the corners of her eyes with her fingertips. “Only by God’s grace.” She blew her nose, then fired the do-or-die question at Grandma. “So how do we pull this off?”
Grandma flashed a sly smile. “I’m glad you asked. We haven’t had a family gathering at our house since Christmas. I’ll tell him we’re having one of our barbecues. He can help your grandpa dig the fire pit.”
She burst out laughing. “Then show up later for his own wedding.”
“What a grand surprise.”
Peri came with their coffee specialties as they discussed the ceremony details, divvying up the to-do list.
“When shall we do this?” Grandma asked as she jotted notes in her notepad.
Julie tapped the calendar on her electronic planner. “Let me phone Mom and see what their plans are for the next few weeks.”
“Remember, your dad, Bobby, and Will leave for Costa Rica on a Sunday, mid-April, I think.”
“Right. We could have the ceremony the Saturday before they go.”
Grandma waved her hand at Julie. “Perfect.”
Autodialing her parents’ home phone, Julie mentioned to Grandma, “I can’t spend a lot of money. Eth would kill me, but I do want this to be a surprise.”
“Don’t worry. I’m queen of the shoestring budget.”
“Mom, hi, it’s Julie.” In one breath, she detailed the wedding plans with her mother.
“What a marvelous idea.”
“How about a week from Saturday?” Julie chewed on her bottom lip and glanced out the window. Oh no, Ethan and Grandpa.
“No,” her mom said. “Not the night before your father leaves for his golf trip. You know him.”
Julie chewed her lower lip. “Yeah, right. I forgot about his travel neurosis.”
Her mom laughed. “Yes, he’ll want to pack, worry if he got everything, then pack some more and go to bed early. Why not have the ceremony Saturday?”
That’s six days away. Julie looked at Grandma. “Think we can pull it off this Saturday?”
“Certainly.” She sat up straight, ready for the challenge.
“This Saturday it is, Mom. I’ll talk to you later. I’ve got to go; Ethan is coming.”
“What?” Grandma glanced over her shoulder just as Ethan and Grandpa pushed through Peri’s front door.
Twenty-two
“What are you two doing here?” Ethan slipped his arm around Julie and kissed her forehead. He fought the sense of guilt over spending the money on the ring without telling her. He’d better give it to her soon or bust.
“Chatting.” Julie smiled up at him, but he caught her tucking a yellow piece of paper into her satchel.
“Chatting?” He shifted his gaze to Grandma. She never could mask her feelings well. They were up to something.
“What are you boys up to, hmm?” Grandma asked.
“Yes,” Julie echoed. “Why aren’t you at work, Ethan?”
He grabbed her hand and held on. “Running errands.”
“Yes, running errands,” Grandpa parroted. “Lambert’s Furniture stuff.” He pulled up a stool and waved at Peri.
“Be right there, Mr. Lambert. The usual?”
“Yes, the usual.”
“What about you, Ethan?” Peri called.
“Bring me what Julie’s having.” He sat next to Julie.
Covertly, he glanced at her hand and the small engagement ring he’d slipped on her ring finger a decade ago. He’d promised her a new one, but they could never afford
it; then life got in the way. But today he changed all that.
Cindy Mae had polished the ring like Grandpa asked and showed it to Ethan. He’d never seen anything more beautiful. If a piece of jewelry could embody his wife, that piece did.
Cindy Mae wanted three thousand for it. Ethan shook his head, deflated. “Can’t go that high.”
Grandpa pulled out his wallet. “You put up what you got, Ethan. I’ll cover the rest.”
“Oh no, Grandpa, I can’t let you do that. No.” But his protest fell on deaf ears.
“I’ll deduct it from your inheritance.”
“What? Lambert’s Furniture is my inheritance. I can’t let you buy my wife a new ring.”
“Then consider it a loan, interest free. You pay me back when you can, ten dollars at a time for all I care.”
Just what I need, more debt. But he wanted the ring. “I don’t know—”
Cindy Mae sighed and gazed toward the ceiling. “You two kill me. All right, twenty-five hundred.”
So the deal was made. Cindy Mae agreed to redo the ring’s shank and size it for free. Ethan could pick it up Friday. He couldn’t wait to give it to her.
The sooner he gave Julie the ring, the better. He didn’t think he could hide this expenditure too long. Boy, it’s hot in Peri’s today. Am I sweating?
“Here you go.” Peri set a steaming, frothy coffee in front of him.
He handed it back to her. “Make it an ice coffee, please.”
Julie regarded him. “Are you all right?”
He inhaled. “Sure. I’m fine.”
“You’re sweating.” She pressed her hand on his forehead.
“I’m fine. Listen, how about dinner at the Italian Hills Saturday night? You and me?” The idea popped out of his mouth before his brain had time to meter his words. But he liked what he heard.
“Oh no, Ethan, we can’t.”
“Why not?”
“We’re having a spring family barbecue.” Grandma jumped into the discussion. “You’ll need to help Grandpa dig the fire pit, get set up.”
“When did this happen?” Grandpa asked.
“Just now, Matt.” Grandma’s firm tone surprised Ethan.
He faced Julie. “Then we can go on Friday.”
“Um, no, I have quartet rehearsal. Let’s go next week.”
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