When Cal and Felicity came over to get them before church, Phyl made sure that she stood in a good spot to make Cal notice her presence. A widening of the eyes and a flaring of the nostrils as he registered the new outfit told her that he wasn't immune to her. That was fine, she was through playing fair with him.
Cal had to force himself past Phyl's front door when he saw her in her new Easter dress. It was a multi-coloured silky print that had all of the shades of the irises in the front yard. It was predominantly blue with swirls of purple and yellow and hugged her fine figure except for the full skirt which swirled enticingly as she moved. Her coordinating yellow hat with the blue and purple band sat neatly atop her braided and coiled blonde hair. The bold yellow should have clashed with her fine ash blonde, but somehow it didn't.
Phyl stepped closer and he was overwhelmed again with the scent of baby powder and orange-mango. Cal had always thought that young mothers were the sexiest creatures on God's earth and the smell of baby powder on a woman always hit him hard. Surely she wasn't trying to attract that kind of attention from him?
She reached up to smooth a stray lock of Cal's hair back into place. Cal almost grabbed her hand to restrain it, but instead just looked into her eyes. They stood there, lost in each others' gaze for an indeterminate amount of time.
"Dad, Dad!" Felicity's voice came to his ears as she began to poke him. "Isn't it time to get moving?"
"Right, so it is."
Cal moved to the passenger's side of the van and handed Phyl into the front seat under the watchful smirks of the kids.
Easter service was a festive occasion with lots of joyful old hymns and modern praise songs. Phyl's lovely voice brought a smile to Cal's face. As they had been doing for a couple of months, when neither of them were on the duty roster for something they sat close together.
After service, Ginny Madison sidled up to Cal, who was holding Phyl's coffee while she attended to something else, and said "So, when did you and Phyl start going out?"
Cal stiffened in surprise. "We aren't going out. What would give you that idea?"
Ginny smiled archly. "Well, it might be that you're always together when I see you. Or maybe the way you look at each other. Or the fact that you vacationed together last month."
"Ginny, she's been a good friend for years. She's probably my best friend now that Brenda and Harry are gone. But we aren't going out together."
"You may be fooling yourself, Cal, but you're not fooling anyone else." Ginny spotted Phyl coming back and noted the fond looks passing between them. "Good luck with Phyl, Cal. You deserve to find another good woman. Happy Easter."
Phyl saw the thoughtful look on Cal's face. "What did Ginny want? Is it something about youth group?"
"No. She was just gossiping. It wasn't anything important." Cal handed Phyl back her coffee and they stood shoulder to shoulder while various people came over to talk to them.
Lydia stood in the corner with Felicity, half watching their parents interact. Lydia was quietly excited but not volunteering anything. Felicity, impatient as usual, asked, "What?"
"Okay, I can tell you now without laughing. Mrs. Madison asked your Dad when he started going out with Mum. And he said that they were just best friends. Then Ginny got this 'uh-huh' look on her face and said that he might be fooling himself but he wasn't fooling anyone else."
"That is so Dad. I wonder if Ginny is the first person to say it to his face?"
"Oh, probably. No one would want to be embarrassed if they were wrong."
"Yeah." Felicity caught her father laughing at something Phyl said. "They sure act like they're a couple. And what's with the dress? I thought Mum was the world's worst penny pincher."
"She got it on sale, of course, but I heard her going through her closet last Saturday morning and complaining that she'd lost weight again."
"Who complains about losing weight?"
"Mum complained because her old clothes are too big because she's been swimming so much. So she went shopping on Monday for a whole bunch of new stuff."
"I want to be able to wear dresses like that." Felicity looked envious.
"You won't be able to, you'll never be that tall. Now you'll probably be able to wear something like that..." Lydia pointed at one of the petite university students who was wearing a square-necked dress with short puffy sleeves in white with large print roses on the skirt before launching into a set of very firm opinions on fashion.
Judy looked out the window and said, "David, your father and his guests are here." She lowered her voice for emphasis. "Go make them welcome."
He got a smug look at the sight of Phyl, and said, "Duncan, your grandfather is here. Could you let him in please?"
Duncan and Brenda raced to the door to greet everyone.
Cal helped Phyl out of her coat and found himself on the receiving end of an affectionate sunny smile. Then he saw her face shutter as she said a polite hello to David.
The kids waved at everyone before heading downstairs to hang out.
David led them into the living room. Elaine and Brian were sitting with Emily. One of Judy's single friends was chatting happily with another couple while cuddling Elaine's newborn. When the man turned to see who was joining them Phyl went weak in the knees and looked over to see a look of triumph on David's face.
David erased the look quickly and said, "Dad, Phyl, this is Robyn, a friend of Judy's and these folks are Trevor and Diane Campbell." Turning to Phyl and Cal he said, "This is my father Cal, and his neighbour, Phyl Schuyler." Then in an aside to Trevor, "She went by Heddy when we went to school together."
Phyl barely contained her temper as she politely shook hands with Trevor. Putting on a more genuine smile for the women she greeted them warmly. Cal looked back at David with narrowed eyes and David wondered if he'd pushed too hard.
Trevor sat back and asked, "So how have you been... Phyl?" Trevor remembered the introduction. Phyl glanced at David, whose smug look faded.
Phyl took the empty chair next to Elaine and said, "Mostly okay. The last year has been a bit rough, but it's getting better lately." Involuntarily she glanced fondly at Cal, who took the space next to his daughter on the sofa so he could play with Emily. Trevor had a look of sudden comprehension and glanced at David, who was frowning.
Elaine sat forward. "I don't think rough really covers it, Phyl." She continued, "Phyl lost her husband and both her parents in the last eighteen months. She was also Mom's best friend, so she was just as lost as the rest of us when Mom died last May. This is our first Easter dinner without Mom and I'm very glad that Judy volunteered to do this for us."
Trevor said, sincerely, "I'm sorry to hear about your parents, Phyl. I liked your father a lot. He was the guy who advised me to get my math marks up if I was serious about going into the army."
Diane said, "Trevor just got posted to Defence Headquarters. We've been out in Edmonton for the last several years."
Cal asked what branch of the army Trevor was with and the discussion turned to postings then base housing then children then schools. Phyl participated in the conversation but she was more subdued than usual because she was still angry with David.
The meal was excellent and David behaved himself although his frown became more evident when he realized that Trevor wasn't going to help him embarrass Phyl. Lydia caught some of the undercurrent between her mother and David but wasn't certain what was going on.
Judy knew there was some significance to Trevor's invitation, but couldn't figure it out either, except that she knew Phyl well enough to know that Phyl was pretty angry with David. After the guests had gone home, she asked, "Care to explain?"
"Explain what?"
"Why you invited Trevor and Diane?"
"Trevor was an old high school friend. I ran across him at Carlingwood last week. I wanted to catch up with him and thought it would be good to have them over." David said in a matter of fact tone.
"Did Trevor ever go out with Phyl?"
David l
ooked at Judy. "Since you mention it, yes. But Phyl went out with more than half the guys in the school."
Judy folded her arms. "But never with you?"
David let some of his anger show before he put on a more neutral expression. "No, I never went out with her."
"But you wanted to, I can tell. So now you want to be the dog in the manger and ruin your father's happiness."
"She's too young for him. He'll look like a old fool."
Judy shook her head. "David, they're both grown people. And even if they won't admit it to themselves, they're head over heels for each other. Your Dad looks at Phyl the way he used to look at your mom and Phyl looks at Dad the way she used to look at Harry. They're good for each other and they make a good team." She came forward and said, gently, "Let it go, honey. It's not healthy to hold a grudge."
"You can't tell me what to do. But I'm going to tell Dad what I think of him getting involved with someone my age."
Judy snapped, "Fine. Do what you want. But I'm not helping you ruin your relationship with Dad." She stomped off to the kitchen.
Cal sat with Phyl in his kitchen as the kids were bickering in the family room over what movie to watch. "Was that the same Trevor as in the pictures?"
Phyl sighed and said, "Yes. I could have killed David."
Cal said, "You'd have to take a number. I was so mad at him when he introduced you as Heddy. But Trevor is obviously well married now and seemed genuinely interested in what you'd been doing since high school."
"He was the nicest of the guys I went out with that year and the only one my parents liked. After I got over the shock of seeing him there and we got to talking, it was okay."
"I wish I knew what to do about David. It's obvious he still holds a grudge against you."
"Well, he's not going away as long as we keep hanging around together."
"Then he's going to have get used to seeing you around, because I'm not giving up my best friend because one of my kids disapproves."
Phyl's heart leapt at Cal's words. She looked up into his eyes and saw that he was speaking truth. Briefly, she let her eyes show that she was very attracted to him.
Cal saw the look in Phyl's eyes and momentarily considered a kiss, but there were too many reminders of Brenda today and his eyes conveyed an apology. Phyl gave a regretful sigh but correctly read Cal's reluctance and decided not to push, this time.
Phyl and her kids left shortly after the movie ended leaving Cal to ponder the day. The Easter service and the great news of the Resurrection. The comments of Mrs. Morrison and the knowing looks on the faces of the adults at David's house when they were watching Phyl look at him. Phyl's face filled with longing and appreciation when he said that she was his best friend.
Did she really want more than just friendship? Could he give her more? Catching his face in the mirror with all of the grey hair, he firmly told himself that there was no good reason to get involved with Phyl.
Phyl was brushing her hair out as she sat at her mirror. Cal was frustrating and she'd be angry with him if she knew he was doing it for himself. But he seemed to have this quaint notion that he was protecting her by not getting involved. She looked over to the small picture of Harry on the dresser.
She was able to smile at the picture now. He'd been a great friend and a fine husband and father for almost fifteen years. She'd thought she'd have at least fifty years with him, but that hadn't happened.
Cal was only fifty-five. If she could convince him to give her a chance, the odds were very good that they would have twenty good years together and possibly thirty-five. He made her feel alive and special in the same way Harry had, maybe even more special because he was a better listener and more patient than Harry. Now all she had to do was convince him that people wouldn't think him foolish for marrying a younger woman and having more kids. She frowned because there would be some people who would disapprove.
She looked at herself again in the mirror. She was still pretty. Trevor confirmed that with his appreciative looks today. She briefly considered getting mad at David again, but even she recognized that his ambush had backfired on him. Trevor and his wife were delightful people.
She pulled the covers up to her chin and said her prayers. Chief among them was a prayer for the strength and patience to wait on Cal and help him get over his stupid reluctance to consider her as his next wife.
Chapter Thirteen – May
"Cal Richardson?" The messenger at his front door asked.
"That's me." Cal raised an eyebrow.
"Sign here." The messenger held out a clipboard. Cal signed and the messenger handed him a large manila envelope.
Curious, Cal ripped open the envelope and a white number ten envelope fell out. It was addressed in a familiar hand, "To my dearest Cal."
Catching his breath, he said, softly, "Brenda." His eyes got moist as he walked to the study and found a letter opener. Inside there was a small sheaf of paper, written in Brenda's precise hand.
Dear Cal:
If my lawyer followed my instructions, you are reading this on the anniversary of my death. Rest assured that I am in a better place. The doctor told me today that I had another two weeks to live. He may be off by a few days either way, but I believe him. Soon I will not be able to write through the haze of the morphine, so I put off the nurse so that I would have a clearer head to write this.
We had a truly wonderful time together, Cal. I was hoping for more than thirty-five years together, but I'm not sorry for anything. If I had to do it again, I'd still follow you to Victoria and use Grandma's money to buy the house to convince you I was serious about wanting to marry you. You were so out of place among the single students at Royal Roads, but you were so handsome and sexy. I only wish I could have found the courage to do a few more impulsive things in my life, but the impulse to follow you was the best decision I ever made. Well, maybe yelling at you for dumping Heather was a better decision, but I don't regret following you.
All of the wonderful experiences we shared, the kids, the summer in England, the trip to New Zealand the year before Felicity was born – I wish we could have some more years to do things together.
I know we had such great plans to travel when you retired but then we got surprised by Felicity. For a couple of weeks I struggled about whether I should have another child or have an abortion. But the Holy Spirit and your faith both convinced me that an abortion would be so very wrong on so many levels. I'll admit that although it was me that dragged you to church in grade 12, your faith eventually became deeper than mine. In the end I did the right thing and I don't regret having Felicity. She is so wonderful and makes me feel young. I just wish I could dance at her wedding and hold her babies.
The other wonderful thing about having Felicity was becoming friends with Phyl. There was always something about her that was older than her years, a settled nature that could still have fun. I know you complained that I wasn't very spontaneous, but it would have been much worse without Phyl. She coerced me into being a soccer mom, a library volunteer and a mentor to a group of immigrant women who needed to learn English. Having your best friend across the street, almost living in each others pocket, was very comforting, especially with both you and Harry on the road so much.
So here are my final requests for you, my love.
-Mark won't need much from you except some space. Mark will grieve for a long time then just start talking about me as though he hadn't been avoiding the topic for years. He did that when your mother died and when his school friend Nick died. So don't worry or push him, just listen with patience when he finally wants to talk. By the way, you are a marvellous listener.
-Elaine is also set, finally. Give her lots of hugs every time you see her and if she asks for anything, do what you can to help. That's what I didn't do when she was about to marry Colin. What she really wanted then was to move back to Halifax for university but when I insisted she go to Carleton that's when she decided to marry that slug. Let her know that I was think
ing about her and her wonderful Brian and give her a hug and kiss from me. Emily, too.
-David has some problem that he's been hiding from us for years. I never liked the way he looked at Phyl and I know from investing in his company that he shouldn't have to pinch pennies. If something happens and he splits from Judy, give Judy the maximum amount of support she'll accept. Don't give David any more money unless he actually addresses his problems, if you can figure out what they are.
-Tell Jeremy I'm very proud of him and tell Patty that I'm sorry we couldn't spend more time together. Jeremy won't ask for anything ever, so feel free to spoil his children for me and if you can spoil him at the same time, so much the better.
-Be good to Felicity. I hope that you are still friends with Phyl so that she can continue to be second Mum. You'll need that help especially as she hits her teen years.
-I want you to give Phyl, Lydia and Tim each a hug from me. Tell Phyl that I regret not being able to show Victoria to her. Keep an eye on Tim because he's going to miss Harry the most.
-Give the twins a big hug from Mom. I bought them each a birthday present that I put in the big safety deposit box. When they turn twenty-one you can give it to them from me.
I love you very much, John Calvin Richardson, but if you are reading this, you are still alive and I am not. I know you, Cal. You need a keeper and I'm not there to do it. So I'm taking you up on your long ago foolish promise that you would do anything to make me happy.
It would make me happy for you to get married again. I hope that you and Phyl are still good neighbours and good friends. If things look like they could become serious between you, don't let the fact that she's so much younger than you sway your decision. She's a good woman, Cal, and deserves a good man like you.
If there's no spark between you and Phyl, start looking for someone else. I know you never had to make an effort to attract women so I'm sure someone has already thrown herself at you. I trust that you still have that wonderful good sense that you found when you were born again and will choose someone who will both manage your life for you and make you happy. And I know you will make the lucky woman you choose very very happy, like I am.
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