Imagine That

by Kristin Wallace

  As if sensing a presence in the room, Sarah stirred and opened her eyes. She spotted Grace first. “Mom, I thought I told you to go home and rest.”

  “I know, honey, but there’s someone who wanted to see you.”

  Sarah turned and looked at the tall redhead standing next to her mother. For a moment, her brows furrowed in confusion, then her eyes widened in delight. “Julia!”

  “I’ll give you guys a few minutes,” Grace said, as she slipped out of the room.

  Julia laughed as Sarah tried to lever herself up in the bed. “Don’t get up,” she said, leaning down to hug her stepsister. She took a deep breath. One thing hadn’t changed. Sarah still smelled like sunshine, albeit with a hint of the wonderful antiseptic hospitals loved to use.

  Sarah looked her over and grumbled. “Look at you! All your glorious hair, and a figure to die for. I think I hate you!”

  Julia perched on the side of the bed and rubbed Sarah’s extended belly. “This is just as beautiful.”

  “This is Mary.”

  She touched her lips to Sarah’s stomach. “Hi, Mary.”

  “Eric told me you were coming, but I was afraid to believe it. The Prodigal Daughter has come home at last.”

  Julia held on to her smile and rolled her eyes. “Two seconds in the room, and I’m already getting Bible analogies. Please don’t go killing any farm animals to welcome me home.”

  Sarah’s eyes twinkled with humor. “I’m impressed you even know the story of the Prodigal Son. You weren’t exactly open to religion when you lived with us.”

  “It was hard not to absorb some of it, but you know I didn’t drive through the night to trade Bible stories. What’s going on? I’ve been scared out of my mind, and Grace has been no help whatsoever.”

  “I started having contractions. We almost lost the baby,” Sarah said in a shaky voice.

  “Oh, honey,” Julia said, rubbing Sarah’s belly again, as if willing the tiny life to stay in there longer.

  “They gave me medication and finally got them to stop.”

  “Will it happen again?”

  “It’s possible. They think I’ll be able to carry the baby to term, but I have to be careful. They want me on almost total bed rest for the next couple months.”

  “Sounds sensible.”

  Sarah took a deep breath and reached for Julia’s hand. “I need your help.”

  Julia squeezed Sarah’s cold fingers, rubbing them to restore some warmth. “You know I’ll do whatever I can.”

  “I need you to run Marry Me.”

  “What’s that?”

  “It’s my wedding planning business.”

  Julia burst out laughing. Only Sarah didn’t join in. A tight, queasy feeling returned. “You’re not serious?”

  “You must think I’m terribly selfish to have you come all this way and spring this on you, but I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t so important.”

  Julia jumped up and started pacing. “Has this pregnancy made you a touch crazy? Or have hormones replaced your common sense? I know we haven’t seen each other in fifteen years, but surely you remember my feelings about marriage and especially weddings. They were pretty firmly established even when I was a teenager.”

  Sarah calmly watched Julia pace. “You still have hang-ups about love and weddings?”

  “You try dealing with your parents’ divorce and then gaining two stepmothers and two stepfathers by the time you’re thirteen, and see how well adjusted you turn out. How willing to believe in true love and soul mates.”

  “You don’t think love exists?”

  “Love is the excuse we use to do whatever we want, no matter who it hurts.”

  Sarah’s eyes widened. “I knew you were cynical, but seriously that’s—”

  “Realistic?”

  “I was going to say sad.”

  “Which is precisely why you should get someone else to do this. I’m liable to tell your couples they should run for the hills.”

  “You wouldn’t. Especially not when you know why Marry Me needs to stay open. I won’t be able to handle the business for the next several months, and if it closes it would affect a lot more than my clients.”

  Julia came to a stop. “What?”

  “My husband, Eric, runs a community center and shelter for at-risk kids.”

  “You have those here?” Julia asked, arching a brow.

  “Big cities haven’t cornered the market on kids in crisis, you know.”

  “Sadly. What does your husband’s center have to do with your wedding planning business?”

  “The income from my business allows him to work while taking a minimum salary, so most of the donations go directly back to the Center.”

  “So, you’re essentially supporting your family through Marry Me?”

  “Yes, it’s what we agreed on when Eric decided to open the Center. If my business were to close, even for a few months, we’d lose the income, and with the baby coming—”

  “In other words, you’re in a mess,” Julia said, sinking into a chair next to the bed.

  Sarah winced. “It’s our own fault for not planning better, I know, but frankly we never thought it would become an issue. We’d given up hope of ever having a baby. We tried for so many years and—” she broke off, overcome by emotion.

  Julia reached over and stroked Sarah’s hair. “I know. Grace told me.”

  “I wish you’d have been here. I could have used a big sister. There were so many times I wanted to call, but I never knew if you’d welcome it.”

  Julia could hear the hurt in Sarah’s voice, the same as with Grace. “Let’s not get into old history right now. You’re under enough stress. Why don’t we get back to the subject of me running a wedding planning business? Are you sure there isn’t someone better suited for this? Someone who might have a clue what to do? I don’t know a garter from a garden hose.”

  “You’d learn. You’re so smart, and you do have business experience.”

  “I’m in marketing. I tell people who’s buying what and when, which is not at all the same thing as planning somebody’s nuptials.”

  Sarah held up her hand and started ticking off a lightning-fast rebuttal on her fingers. “You’re organized. You know how to create budgets and stick to them. You know how to research. You understand what makes people tick better than anyone I’ve ever met. You’ve been a manager, so you’re used to delegating. You’re a born leader. And best of all, you won’t let anyone push you around, be it a spoiled bride, a demanding mother, or an unscrupulous vendor out to pad his bill.”

  “Impressive qualities, indeed,” Julia drawled. If she’d realized she was such a crack businesswoman she could have made a better case to her new boss and not been canned.

  She was amazed, and flattered, despite knowing she was on the receiving end of a world-class snow job.

  “Don’t you need someone who actually likes weddings?” Julia tried again. “I’m allergic to them.”

  “No one is allergic to weddings.”

  “I am. I broke out in a rash once at a wedding. Well, it might have been the flowers they were using, but it’s the principle of the thing. I made a vow after my dad’s last wedding to bride #4. No more weddings. Ever.”

  “Your dad has been married four times?”

  “Five. I missed the last one, and again, we’re off the subject. Are you sure there’s no one you know who can do this? What about Grace?”

  “Mom has her hands full already. Her husband still hasn’t fully recovered from his stroke.”

  “Don’t you have assistants or something?” Julia asked, knowing she sounded desperate.

  “I have an assistant, but she’s young. The women who help out during the weddings all have families.”

  Julia slumped back in the chair. “Unlike me who has no one. I suppose Grace informed you I got fired, too?”

  “Yes, she did.” Sarah tried to look sympathetic without much success. “I’m sorry, and I’m sure it must have been awful, but
maybe this is—”

  “If you say this is God’s will, I swear I’ll start throwing things,” Julia warned.

  Sarah sat up straighter. “Maybe it is His will.”

  “Right. He had my boss develop a heart condition so he had to sell the business, which resulted in me getting canned. All so I could be free to come back here and run your wedding planning business?”

  “God works in mysterious ways,” Sarah said, with a shrug.

  “God must have been up to a lot of chess playing.”

  “We don’t know God’s plans. Maybe all this is happening so Mary can be born healthy and strong because she’s going to cure cancer someday, thereby saving millions of people. Maybe even you.”

  Julia blinked and stared at her former stepsister, wondering how she’d never noticed Sarah had evil tendencies, too. Grace had passed on the stealth, manipulator gene to her daughter.

  “Low blow,” Julia said in defeat, visions of white, frothy dresses and weepy brides filling her days.

  So, this is what comes of caring for someone, she thought. You get roped into doing crazy things like planning weddings, when you’d rather have a root canal than attend one.

  “Have you girls finished your little talk?”

  Both women looked up as Grace walked back in the room. “Oh, yeah. We talked, and I caved,” Julia said.

  “I told Sarah not to guilt you into it.”

  Julia pointed to Sarah’s extended stomach. “Don’t you know God had me fired, leaving me free to run Marry Me, so that baby in there could one day cure me of cancer?”

  Grace gasped. “Oh, my goodness… Sarah! You should be ashamed of yourself.”

  Laughter tinged with both exasperation and admiration at Sarah’s rather astounding manipulative abilities escaped Julia’s lips. “She’s not ashamed. She’s evil. You’re both evil. You knew what she wanted.”

  “I told you earlier you could always say no,” Grace pointed out, trying to look innocent.

  Oh no, Julia was on to them now. Their act wouldn’t wash.

  “Say no to what?” a deep male voice asked.

  Julia turned again as a tall, athletic man entered the room. His sandy-brown hair flopped into his eyes as he went to the bed and kissed Sarah.

  “Eric, this is Julia,” Sarah said.

  He held out a hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Julia. You got here pretty quick.”

  “It seemed urgent,” Julia said. “I didn’t know I’d be drafted into service.”

  Eric looked at Sarah. “You asked her already?”

  “She said yes.”

  His eyes closed for a moment, and he released a deep sigh. “Thank you. You don’t know what this means to us.”

  “Hey, I’m only doing this so I don’t die of cancer.”

  “Excuse me?”

  She waved her hand. “Inside joke.”

  “Eric, maybe Julia would like to see who else she’s going to be helping by running Marry Me,” Sarah said.

  It was Julia’s turn to be confused. “Hmm?”

  “The softball game this afternoon.”

  “A softball game?”

  “I organized a game for the kids at the center,” Eric answered. “We put together teams, and they’re playing this afternoon. We’ll barbecue afterward. It’s going to be a real party, and there should be a big turnout.”

  “Plus, Julia will have a chance to meet people,” Grace said. “Seth will be there, too.”

  Sarah clapped her hands together, looking like a ten-year-old again. “Oh, you have to see Seth. You remember him, right? I can’t wait to hear about his reaction when he sees you.”

  “I doubt he’ll even remember me. It’s not like we hung out much.”

  “Well, you’re going to now. You’re going to be living with him for the next several months, after all.”

  A flash warning went off inside Julia’s head. Excuse me?

  “Sarah,” Grace admonished. “You’re going to start some unpleasant rumors if you’re not careful.”

  Julia waved her hands. “Hold on. Hold on. Can we back up a minute? I didn’t realize I’d have to negotiate living arrangements in this deal. I thought I’d be living with you, Sarah. I’m going to need all the help I can get, and it would be so much easier if we’re in close proximity.”

  “Everything’s in close proximity in Covington Falls.”

  Sarah wasn’t getting around this one. Julia gently tapped her on the head. “The living arrangements?”

  Sarah actually pouted. “Eric and I live in a one-bedroom apartment right now. You’d have to sleep on the couch if you stayed with us, which doesn’t seem right. At Mom’s you’ll have a nice bedroom, a garden, and a big kitchen where you can cook to your heart’s content.”

  “I don’t cook, and the last time I went digging in the ground, I was searching for my hide-a-key rock after a storm.”

  Sarah made a little tsk sound, which meant this was a minor detail. “Whatever. You’ll be so much more comfortable at Mom’s. Trust me.”

  Julia was incredulous. “A one-bedroom apartment?”

  “We chose it because we were trying to save money,” Sarah said, color rising in her cheeks. “It was all we needed at the time.”

  “Where are you planning to put the baby? In the sock drawer?”

  Sarah turned indignant. “No, we have a perfectly nice cradle, and the baby can sleep in our room for the first few months. Then we’re going to look for a small house.”

  “You all missed out on the family planning classes, didn’t you? Financial planning as well.”

  “I told you, we never thought—”

  Julia smiled. She couldn’t help it. Sarah was so cute when she got embarrassed. “I know. You weren’t expecting your little miracle. I understand. Maybe you should take up this issue with God. At least he gave Abraham advanced warning he was about to become a father at age one hundred.”

  Sarah paused. “Again, I’m impressed.”

  Julia rolled her eyes. “Please. Adam and Eve. Cain and Abel. Abraham. Virgin Birth. Those are staples. I’d have been deaf and blind not to absorb them. We’re getting off point here. Again. Can we get back to me and Seth living in the same house?”

  Grace stepped in to explain. “Seth doesn’t actually live in the house. We converted the storage area above the garage into an apartment and office.”

  “Why?”

  “He moved in after his wife died. Some people weren’t comfortable going to a single minister’s house. This way, I can act as hostess if I’m needed.”

  “Oh,” Julia said, though she still didn’t get it.

  “In any case, it’s not like you’re going to be stumbling over each other,” Grace continued. “Seth’s rarely home. He’s usually off on church business.”

  “Fine. When is this game? Do I have to time to take a nap and maybe grab a shower?”

  ****

  The nap and the shower should have done wonders. Unfortunately, sleeping in the same bedroom she’d lived in as a teenager was a bit disconcerting. She felt as edgy and unsure as she had at thirteen. Everywhere she looked brought back unsettling memories. By the time Eric arrived to drive her to the game, Julia was practically frothing at the mouth to get out of the house.

  She was waiting in the foyer when Eric pulled up in an SUV, which had seen better days. Much better. Julia raced out before he could honk the horn, and if he was surprised by the speed at which she leaped into the car, he was polite enough not to comment on it. She watched the passing scenery as he started down the street. Summer had taken over this part of the world and the trees had an intense green color she’d never seen anywhere else.

  As they turned the corner she spotted an ice cream truck. A real one, that played a tune. She hadn’t known those existed anymore. Grace used to give Julia and Sarah fifty cents to buy a treat. Sarah had always taken forever to make up her mind, which had driven Julia crazy. A skill her former stepsister still possessed in abundance. The knowledge ma
de her chuckle.

  At the sound, Eric turned his head. “You look tired. Beautiful, but anxious,” he was quick to add.

  “You’re so diplomatic,” Julia said, a grin pulling up the corner of her mouth. “I feel like I spent a week in the car with two bratty kids.”

  Eric’s voice remained gentle, as if he didn’t want to spook her. “Why so anxious?”

  “Being here. It’s hard.”

  “Why?” Again, he was extremely gentle.

  “I don’t know. Lots of ghosts.”

  “What kind of ghosts?”

  “The ghost of stepmothers past,” she said, scowling at him. “I can see why you set out to help troubled kids. You’re pretty good at getting people to spill their guts without them realizing it.”

  He chuckled. “Guilty. I only got the briefest of sketches about your history from Sarah. I can imagine it is unsettling being back in a place where you spent some pretty turbulent years.”

  “The years here were fairly calm. All the other years surrounding them were turbulent.”

  “Yes, but your emotions weren’t as engaged as they were here, with this family. With Grace and Sarah.”

  Julia folded her arms over her chest. “Nice trick, reading people’s minds. Do you see dead people, too?”

  He laughed again. “No, I’m just observant.”

  Eric’s eyes crinkled up when he laughed. Julia liked him. She was coming to realize Sarah had done well for herself in the husband department, even if he was a terrible financial planner. In fact, she thought Eric was much too good for Sarah, the evil little manipulator.

  “I can tell you care about Grace and Sarah,” he said. “Maybe more than you want to, or think you should, but it’s there.”

  Julia looked out the window at the passing trees again. “The first time I met Grace, I remember thinking she was what a mother was supposed to be like. She even smelled like a mother. I spent the whole time here loving her, and hating her.”