Ignoring the eye comment, for folks had always raved about her eyes, Katy whispered with awe, “It’ll be perfect.”
“Not quite.” Lil grabbed a fistful of material at the waist. “It needs just a little tailoring. And we definitely need to go shoe shopping.”
“Oh I don’t know. That looks too tight, doesn’t it? I don’t want to ruin it for you.”
“We can baste it, and we’ll remove it afterward.”
“Surely I have some shoes that will go?” But Katy’s voice trailed off for she knew she didn’t have anything worthy of the occasion.
“We’ll find you some shoes you can wear to church, too. And afterward, we’ll drive downtown and locate the theater and check out the parking situation. Forewarned, and all that.”
Feeling a catch in her throat, Katy climbed down and hugged Lil. “Thanks. You’re the best. This has just been eating at me, terrifying me. Maybe now I’ll be able to endure the whole experience.”
“And you won’t have to join the cleanup committee,” Lil added with a glint in her eyes.
Katy held Addison’s hand and stared at the scrolled billboard. Cinderella. “This is it,” she announced to Addison, feeling as if she’d swallowed a glass slipper. A street policeman standing on the corner raised his hand to stay the traffic, and Addison plunged them into a jostling, crowded crosswalk that whisked them directly in front of the Ohio Theatre. They took their place in line, and the touch of Addison’s enthusiastic hand was somewhat comforting. Everyone wore smiles and eager expressions, and she forced herself to feign a similar countenance for Addison’s sake.
But she didn’t have to pretend long. She was awestruck from the moment she stepped inside the marble entry and viewed the high, arched ceilings, gilded and frescoed, from which hung a huge stained-glass chandelier. Spanish Baroque architecture gave the theater a medieval flair, palatial in rich red and gold.
Its splendor was so breathtaking that Katy struggled for comportment, yet Addison took her surroundings in stride and suddenly jerked her hand away. “There’s Samantha,” she cried and dashed off toward another girl from her dance class.
With a gasp, Katy lunged, but only caught a satin sash that untied and slipped through her fingers, dragging on the ground behind Addison like a pink tail. Involuntarily, Katy clamped her teeth on her bottom lip and helplessly watched the two little girls separate to skirt an elderly couple and join together again laughing. Linking arms, they next burst through a group of teenage girls and vanished. In the blink of an eye, Addison had disappeared. Panic tamped up Katy’s spine. She vied to get another glimpse of Addison’s pink frothy outfit.
“Hey, Katy.”
Startled, she whipped her gaze around to the tall male figure clad in a plain black suit. In all the excitement, she’d forgotten about Jake.
His sister Erin smiled. “Hi Katy. This is my first time here. Great, isn’t it?”
Erin’s presence momentarily dazed Katy. But the dark-haired girl’s enthusiasm and winning smile reminded Katy of her manners. There was no excuse to be rude to Erin Byler just because of her brother, so she took just a moment to engage in some necessary small talk. Then Katy bit the corner of her mouth with frustration. “I lost Addison.”
“You want me to help you look?” Jake asked, lines of concern framing his eyes.
Considering that the lobby was filled with children and Jake didn’t know what Addison looked like, she wasn’t sure he’d be much help. “She’s wearing a pink frilly dress.”
Jake frowned. Half of the girls were clad in pink or princess outfits.
“What’s her name?” Erin asked.
Before Katy could answer the question, the youngster under discussion had returned and grabbed her by the waist. Without missing a beat, Addison urged, “Let’s go in.”
“Addison!” Katy clutched the girl’s hand. “Sweetie, wait. You need to calm down and stay with me. I met some friends.” She reeled her charge in and introduced her to Jake and Erin.
Erin bent down and began to tie Addison’s bow. “Are you a performer? Are you the dancer who is Cinderella?”
“No, but I take dance lessons.”
“Are you sure? You look like a princess.”
“That’s just because …”
“That was unnerving,” Katy whispered to Jake.
“I guess she didn’t lose you; that’s the important thing. Shall we go find our seats?”
“Ours?” Katy raised a brow.
He gave her his notorious lopsided grin. “We’re in the row behind you.”
Naturally. “So you admit to a conspiracy.”
“Yeah, that’s old news.” He touched her elbow. “Ready?”
With a nod, Katy tugged Addison’s hand. “Let’s go, sweetie.”
“I like Erin. She thinks I’m a princess.”
“You are, aren’t you?” Katy teased, and the little girl shrugged. Katy held tight so that she didn’t skip away again at the first glimpse of someone else from their dance troupe. All the while, her gaze took in the auditorium. More gilt and arches, even more elaborate than the lobby, a perfect fairy-tale setting. They found their seats, and Addison entertained herself by talking to her friend Samantha, who was seated next to her. Katy relaxed and stared overhead at the lighted, coffered ceiling and enormous, tiered chandelier.
Jake leaned forward and whispered, “It’s something else.”
“I think God must live here,” Katy replied.
Soon the lights dimmed, the curtains opened to an elaborate set. Amidst the magic lights and changing colors, a ragged-clad Cinderella appeared on stage, dancing with a broom. Instantly enthralled and swept into the performance, Katy laughed along with the children, enraptured with the ballet movements of the story. When the wicked stepsisters danced onto the stage in bright costumes, Addison whispered, “Look at their funny hats.”
In a mere twinkle, it seemed to Katy, it was intermission. “Can we get something?” Addison instantly begged, swinging Samantha’s hand.
Katy put off the question momentarily, standing to let others in their row pass. Meanwhile, Addison was skipping impatiently from toe to toe. Katy turned and glanced toward the lobby.
Erin offered, “I’ll take the girls. I need a drink myself.”
“All right, but stay with Erin,” she warned the children, and Addison nodded.
“You want something, too?” Jake asked.
“No thank you. I just want to sit and drink in the splendor.” Katy slid back into her seat and Jake climbed over the one next to her and plopped himself down in it. They shared an armrest and spoke about the performance and the costumes. She glanced down at the orchestra pit. “I was nervous about tonight.”
“That’s understandable. So how does this story end, anyway?”
She spent the next several minutes insisting that he had read far too few books in his childhood and spent too many hours getting into trouble.
At the end of the intermission, Addison squeezed into the row, stepping on Jake’s feet, and he reached out a hand to stay the little one. “Can I sit with Erin?” Addison asked. Katy drew in a ragged breath. Addison begged, “Please.”
“Me, too.” Samantha echoed.
With a shrug, Katy changed places with Erin and trailed Jake back to his row, sliding in beside him. And that’s when the afternoon really became enchanted. When the glittery carriage rolled onto the stage, pulled by white-wigged men wearing tights and doublets, she felt like she was living inside the fairy tale. Her shoulder pressed against her prince’s, she allowed her guard to melt away for one afternoon and indulged in what it might be like to be Cinderella, or at the very least, an outsider.
When the performance ended, Jake whispered, “We’ll walk you to your car.” Behind them, Erin kept up a charming dialogue with Addison. Katy was having too much fun to replace her guard. There was always tomorrow. She had until midnight before the spell ended. While Jake opened her door, Erin moved around the back of the car with Addison.
<
br /> Jake whispered, “I wish this didn’t have to end.”
Her pulse quickened. She felt the same way, reluctant to ruin a magical afternoon.
He kept his voice low. “I know I don’t have any right to ask, but I’d like to take you to dinner tonight. To tell you my story. You did say I need to have more interest in stories with happy endings.”
“You’re twisting my words.”
“Please say yes.”
She started to protest. “No. I—”
But he wouldn’t have it. “It’s not a date. Just two old friends. We’re all dressed up.” He winked.
She didn’t want to remove Lil’s dress just yet. Until midnight, and then I’ll get back to reality. “All right. I need to take Addison home first.”
“I’ll drop Erin off at her dorm and pick you up at your castle, say around seven?”
She smiled. “Okay.”
Jake stood statue-like, watching Katy back her car out of its parking spot and steer it toward the garage exit.
“Good job!” Erin exclaimed.
He let out a sigh. “I can’t believe she said yes. Did you see her, Erin? She’s so”—he shook his head unable to express his feelings—“and she’s giving me another chance.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I can’t believe it.”
“You’ve got it bad.”
He grinned. “I know.”
They walked past a row of cars and stepped into an elevator. “You think she considers this a date?” he asked.
Erin’s brows knit together. “What did you say to her?”
“I asked her to go to dinner”—he inwardly groaned as he recalled his exact words—“as two friends.”
“That was lame.”
He flashed Erin a frown. “It just popped out. While I was begging her.”
Erin’s mouth gaped. “You begged, too?”
They stepped out of the elevator and went toward his truck. “I guess it’s not a date. But it’s a chance. She’s giving me a second chance, right?”
“When did you get so insecure?”
He reached out and ruffled her hair. “I’m not. Get in.” Erin wasn’t nearly as helpful as Lil, but his cousin had made it clear that she couldn’t help him with Katy anymore because Katy had forbidden it. He was on his own now.
They climbed into his truck, and he put the gears in reverse. Erin’s phone rang, and he tuned her conversation out, losing himself in his own thoughts. The ballet had been a new experience for him, and although he had mostly endured it, Katy had been the one enraptured.
When he’d first seen her in the foyer, his heart had nearly stopped. Her eyes were so alive and her lips slightly open; she’d been awestruck with her surroundings. And he’d been awestruck with her, so plain yet elegant in her black gown. He had never seen her so lovely and yet vulnerable. He’d stood and stared, unable to move until Addison momentarily slipped away. When Katy’s expression became troubled, he’d come to his senses, snatching at the opportunity to approach her.
He shot Erin a tender gaze across the cab. She had been a natural with Addison, providing him an open door to talk to Katy. When she was off the phone, he thanked her for her help. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Don’t let her get away this time,” Erin replied. “By the way, Jessie says hi.”
Her remark was just what he needed to bring him back to task. He’d promised Katy to share his story tonight, the one that included Jessie, and he didn’t even know where to start. He only knew he needed to express his genuine sorrow over his falling away. Katy wasn’t the only one he’d hurt. Now Erin was following his path of folly. “Tell her ‘hi’ for me.” Near Erin’s dorm, he pulled his truck to the side of the road. “And be careful. Stay out of trouble, won’t you?”
She leaned over and kissed his cheek before she hopped out of the truck. He watched her stroll toward her dorm as if she didn’t have a care in the world. He had plenty. He had an hour to figure out what he was going to tell Katy over dinner.
CHAPTER 19
The Worthington Inn, a historical Victorian restaurant, provided a charming atmosphere to prolong the Cinderella spell. Katy placed a cloth napkin on her lap, smoothing the surreal fabric of her skirt, and inhaled contentment. The waiter handed them their menus and disappeared.
“Look.” Katy pointed at a descriptive item on the menu. “They use Amish, free range eggs.”
“We can dine in elegance and still feel right at home. But Beef Worthington for me. Never hurts to try the house dish, right?”
With a giggle, Katy marveled, “You and Lil could be twins.”
He leaned forward. “We are, but our parents gave me away.”
“As you well deserved,” Katy teased, then folded her menu. “The garden vegetable plate for me.” The waiter returned for their orders, and they relaxed over coffee.
“One time when we were kids, I asked Lil why she didn’t play with Erin instead of you. She said you were more fun. That Erin could hardly keep up with you two.”
“Erin always tried to keep up with me,” he admitted with a hint of sadness in his voice. Then he gazed into Katy’s eyes and changed the subject. “The Cinderella fairy tale suits you. Especially the pretty part. You look lovely tonight, your hair swept up like that. Your eyes are amazing. They draw people in, Katy. Did you know that?”
His scrutiny made her uncomfortable. “And the cleaning part. I’m pretty good at sweeping cinders. But I thought we came to talk about you.”
“We did. But I want you to know that you’ve always intrigued me. That has never changed. My problem was a spiritual one, wondering where I fit in. Our family’s divided when it comes to beliefs with the whole Amish-Mennonite thing. My mom broke away from the Amish, but my dad was always Conservative. Then my brother moved to a higher Mennonite church. So I never felt like there was only one church or one way to get to heaven or to please God.”
He paused when their dinners arrived, and once the waiter left, he asked, “Shall we pray?”
She nodded, pleasantly surprised. Even David hadn’t prayed over their meal at Lil’s restaurant.
Jake bowed his head. “Lord, we thank You for this food, but mostly I thank You for the opportunity to share my story with Katy. Amen.”
The sincerity of the simple prayer touched her with tenderness. “Amen,” she breathed. When she opened her eyes, Jake was watching her.
“Anyway, when Dad died, it did something to me. Made me think about how short life is and how trapped I felt. I guess my brother Cal saw my struggle, and he invited me to his Bible study. For the first time I heard about grace.”
Katy clenched her fork. “What do you mean? Brother Troyer teaches grace.”
“But I never heard it. Never understood.”
“Oh.”
“Now there was another decision to make on top of wanting to break away from farming. Cal suggested construction, and it appealed to me. So I signed up for some courses. I wanted to get through school as quickly as possible and get on with life, so I took a full load. But I was still torn about the grace thing. At the time, I thought that if I chose grace, I’d have to leave our church and join Cal’s. To be honest, I enjoyed his Bible study. But I missed some of the studies and delayed making a choice. I knew that if I moved up to another church, I’d lose you.”
You lost me anyway, she thought. But she asked, “Why didn’t you talk to me about this? Instead you just withdrew.” Remembering how painful it had been, Katy whispered, “You just left.”
“I knew where you stood. You’ve always been rigid in your beliefs.”
Rigid. She despised that word. His perception of her matched Lil’s. “Was I? Then why was I drawn to the orneriest boy at church?”
“I’m just saying that’s how I felt at the time. Then my surroundings desensitized me and pulled me into the world. I didn’t intentionally go off to college to sow my wild oats. It just happened one step at a time. There was a new world to explore.”
S
he felt her ears heat. “And new girls.”
“I guess. Jessie was in my business class, and she liked to poke fun at me, but at the same time she helped me out, explained things.”
I’ll bet she did, Katy thought, jealousy rising in her spirit and stealing her appetite.
“She was fun loving and comfortable to hang out with. She convinced me to go to some parties, and the next thing I knew I was drinking. I knew that lots of Mennonite guys drink before they settle down, and I just figured it would help me figure out what I wanted to do with my life. If I even wanted to settle down. But after the initial excitement wore off, I realized that Jessie wasn’t for me. I knew I’d lost my most precious gift, you. I tried to win you back that night in the parking lot, but I went about it all wrong. When you smelled the alcohol on my breath, you despised me for it. I want you to know that if I hadn’t been drunk I never would have manhandled you that way. I’m so sorry about that. I hope you can forgive me.”
She shrugged, not able to answer that question. “I don’t know.”
The waiter came and refilled their drinks, giving Katy a moment to consider everything Jake had just told her. She realized that he was right that she wouldn’t have understood then what it was like to feel the pull of the outsiders. But since she’d started working in their world, she’d experienced some of that excitement, and the lure, too. Wasn’t that what tonight was all about? She didn’t want to condemn him—maybe a guy was drawn with even more force—but his actions had stolen his innocence. At least sexually, she assumed. And that bothered her a lot.
“When you told me off, I decided to leave the church where I wasn’t wanted. The world took me in.”
“Jessie did, too.” Katy murmured.
“Yes. But I was miserable. Soon after that, I broke up with her. Then one night I ended up drunk on Cal’s doorstep. He sobered me up, and we talked a long while. I knew I needed God so I confessed my sins and attended Cal’s Bible study and even his church. Once the Lord entered my life, I viewed everything differently. I’d changed and would change even more in the months after that.”
Plain City Bridesmaids Page 17