Plain City Bridesmaids

by Dianne Christner

  She pressed her lips into a tight line and made no argument to convince him otherwise. Fletch stood up. “I’ve got a lot going on in my life, too. I’m tired of being the only one who cares here. And tired of being the community scapegoat.”

  Lil scrambled to her feet. “But I do care. It’s just that … things are confusing-crazy right now.”

  Fletch gentled his tone. “You’re judging everything from the outside. Blaming the farm, your family, and even your church for your insecurities. Just be who you are. Either there’s a place for me on the inside, or there isn’t.”

  Lil angrily brushed cat hair from her skirt. “I can’t believe you are preaching to me.”

  “Me either. I didn’t come to do that. I better go. Come on, Buddy.” Fletch made for the door, and Buddy slinked after him as if he knew they were both in trouble. All the way to the door, Fletch longed for her to beg him to stay, to tell him that she wanted him. But she didn’t.

  Lil blotted her eyes with a tissue, “Oh, Megan, I’m so glad you’re home.”

  Megan hurried to the couch. “What’s happened? What’s wrong? Is it your mom?”

  “No. Fletch and I got in a huge argument.”

  Moving onto the couch next to her, Megan asked with concern, “About the veal?”

  “Yes, and don’t say you told me so. He saw our ad in the newspaper. He was angry that I hid it from him. Angry I didn’t trust him.” Lil sniffed. “He said he’s tired of being the only one trying to make our relationship work … that I’m constantly pushing him away.”

  “Oh, wow.”

  “And he’s right. He’s done all the pursuing.” She sniffed. “All I do is throw up red flags.” She buried her face in the tissue.

  Megan patted her back. “I’m sorry.”

  “I’ve never seen him so mad. When he left, he seemed bitter and hurt. I think he’s giving up on us. I’m nothing but a thorn in his side, with my family and … everything else.”

  “Maybe this is for the best.”

  “What!” Lil blinked at Megan. “How can you say that?”

  “Well, now you know what his limits are. I mean, it’s time you decided if you want him or not. If you’re willing to give it your all. If you love him.”

  “Of course I want him! Where have you been?”

  Megan nodded with sympathy. “You’re right. He has made all the moves. Now he needs encouragement from you. You’ll have to pursue him.”

  “You’re right. I haven’t done my part. Our relationship seemed hopeless, and I was waiting for him to do all the changing, make everything right.” Lil hiccupped.

  “Let me make you some tea. If you’re sure you want him, then I’ll help you figure out how to win him back.”

  Lil gave a weak smile, clasping Slinky close. “Thanks.” But the kitten squirmed and sprang to the floor, strutting off after Megan.

  In spite of their argument, Fletch was willing to give it one last try before he gave up on Lil. Winning back her family was paramount in winning her back. If his final plan failed, then he would concede and quit pursuing her and her family.

  When Vic heard about Fletch’s plan, he thought it was a great idea and offered to help him carry it through. So on the morning that the hoop barn was going up, they drove to the farm well before daylight. The farmers would be early at their chores, intent to make a long day of it. When they arrived, Vic’s red Dodge pickup was conspicuous even in the dark, and Matt was the first one out of the barn.

  In a nervous leap, Fletch jumped out of the cab.

  “What’s going on?” Matt asked.

  “We know this is a big day for you. We came to help.” He gestured to include Vic, who had now joined them.

  Matt gave a crooked grin. “The thought’s nice, but don’t know how it will get received by the others.”

  Fletch clasped Matt’s shoulder. “Please. Just put me to work.”

  About that time, Will came out of the barn. He strode to them and stopped beside Matt. “Hi, Vic. I thought I told you I didn’t want him on my property.”

  “He’s not here on my behalf. He’s here on his own.”

  “Mr. Landis, I came to help you put up your hoop barns.”

  Fletch saw surprise flit across the older man’s features, but he quickly hardened his expression. “Well, we don’t need your kind of help.”

  Will’s rejection was expected. In fact, Fletch had rehearsed his argument beforehand. “That may be true. I don’t mean any disrespect, but I’m here to help, and that’s that. If you throw me off your property, I’ll crawl back on bloody nubs if I have to, because I am helping you today. Now it’s going to be a long day, and the way I see it, you don’t need to be wasting your time and energy arguing.”

  Will grunted, turned away, and stalked back into the barn. Fletch hurried after him, with Matt and Vic close at his heels. Inside, it was apparent that Hank and Stephen had gotten a quick rundown of the situation.

  Hank looked angry. “Now you see here, Stauffer. We don’t want your help.”

  “I understand. But I’m staying. I need to help.”

  Stephen turned to his brothers. “What are we going to do?”

  “Why can’t he help?” Matt heaved a feed bag over his shoulder. “We all know we could use the extra hands. Vic is volunteering, too. It’s rude not to accept some neighborly help.”

  Fletch chewed the side of his cheek, disliking but knowing the best way to proceed with the stubborn bunch was to grovel again and make it real good this time. “It was despicable of me to take pictures of your sick animals. I’m not going to give you any excuses for it.” By now they knew the reason. “I’m not naturally a backstabbing jerk. Usually, I’m honest and dependable. What I did was wrong. I’m sorry for betraying your trust and Vic’s.”

  Vic quickly added, “I have to vouch for his good character. He’s proved himself since the incident. He really wants to make amends. He needs to help you.”

  “That’s because he wants to date Lil,” Hank said distastefully.

  “I like your sister, but that’s not why I’m here. If I had misrepresented myself to any other farmer and had the opportunity to make amends, I would. It’s the Christian thing to do.”

  Will studied Fletch. “I believe him. Sometimes, we just need to forgive.” He offered Fletch a handshake.

  Fletch gripped Will’s hand as if it was his only lifeline. Fletch figured that whatever was happening between the farmer and his wife must have softened the older man’s heart. Fletch determined not to disappoint him but to stick with the work until the last hour or until he was dead, whichever came first.

  “He can stay,” Hank relented. “But he’s not fooling me.”

  Fletch gave Hank a smile. “Thanks for the chance.” But Hank didn’t respond. Stephen turned his back and moved to the watering trough. Fletch hadn’t expected a homecoming like the one for the prodigal son. He was heartened enough that Hank permitted him to stay.

  “While we finish choring, you can go haul a stack of lumber to the barn sites. I’ll show you where.” Matt led them out of the barn and shined a flashlight in the direction of two new cement pads that would go at either end of the two new barns. The lumber company had dumped the lumber just off the circle drive.

  Once Matt had left them and returned to the barn, Fletch grabbed two two-by-fours and threw them over his shoulder. Vic only took one because he had the flashlight and he wasn’t trying to impress anybody or earn anybody’s forgiveness. By daybreak, the lumber was laid out in smaller stacks in two large, rectangular areas where the barns would be erected.

  Over the years of his practice, the veterinarian had acquired a complete set of tools. Taking care of livestock got him into all kinds of situations. Fletch had borrowed a tool belt and a hammer, even though he didn’t know anything about carpentry. The first order of business was installing treated posts and tongue and groove to make a four-foot exterior bearing wall.

  Once Jake arrived, Fletch felt like he had another al
ly. Jake schooled him so that he was soon swinging his hammer along with the others, who mostly ignored him. It grated his pride when Hank affirmed the vet and didn’t acknowledge Fletch’s work.

  By nine o’clock, a small crane arrived, and the steel tubular arches were secured to the ground posts and sidewalls. After that, the men climbed up to secure the polypropylene tarps. Fletch wasn’t much for heights, so instead of following Jake, he stayed below and did groundwork.

  Around noon, Fletch had just raised his arm to swing the hammer, when Lil walked up behind him.

  “Hi, Fletch.”

  His reaction was a moment of hesitation, for he wanted to apologize to her yet needed to disregard her so that Hank didn’t throw him off the farm. The second of hesitation broke his concentration and brought the hammer down hard on his thumb.

  “Ouch!” He jumped back, tossing the hammer to the ground. He cradled his injured hand with all thoughts of Lil driven out by the explosion of pain. The first thing he focused on beyond the pain was a snicker. He looked over to see Hank’s amusement. The second thing he heard was Lil calling everyone in to lunch. He didn’t look at her. He couldn’t.

  Up at the house, several long tables were set up outside. Katy and the Landis women served huge platters of ham, potato salad, and baked beans. Fletch waited in line and washed up at an outdoor faucet, his thumb throbbing in waves of pain. He filled a plate and sat between Matt and Jake.

  It was only the second meal Fletch had shared with the Landis family. He noticed with as much amusement as he could muster that Stephen, who sat on the other side of Matt, checked the lid of his saltshaker before using it.

  Fletch rose to fill his glass from the water jug and returned to find his chair was missing. How did Matt have the energy to pull jokes? Fletch was tired, thirsty, and hungry, and his thumb felt as though it had an electrical current pulsating through it. It was enough to make a man cranky. And he was, but he tamped down his temper, reminding himself that he had a mission to perform.

  With a great deal of self-control, he set his glass down by his plate. He slanted a warning brow at Matt and spied his chair folded up against a tree where several of the sisters-in-law had congregated.

  He strode after the chair and tipped his cap to the girls, feeling embarrassed as their giggles followed him back to the table. He unfolded the chair and sat, and looked cautiously at his food to make sure everything was still in order. It seemed to be. He took a swig of his water. Beside him Matt began talking to Stephen. Fletch relaxed.

  His stomach growled, and he brought the thick sandwich of ham and swiss cheese to his watering mouth and bit down into the delicious hot, hot, hot, and more hot. He jumped up. His chair crashed to the ground. Fletch wheeled from the table and spit. Came back for his water and washed down the fire.

  Meanwhile Matt cracked up at his expense. In fact, all the Landis men seemed tickled pink. Fletch glared at Matt. It was obvious now that Hank wasn’t the only unforgiving brother. He felt like jerking the young farmer out of his chair by the neck of his “Hog Heaven” T-shirt. But that’s what they were all hoping to see, expecting. Provoking.

  Just then Lil stepped in between Matt and Stephen with a water pitcher. She reached out and gave Matt’s hat a push. He grabbed it before it fell into his food. Fletch didn’t need Lil fighting his battle. He rose and went to whisper in Rose’s ear. She gave a smiling nod and soon returned with a pitcher of his own water. Fletch carried it back to his seat.

  The brothers snickered.

  Fletch snapped his chair open and seated himself. Then he began the slow and painful process of finishing every bite of his Tabasco-seasoned sandwich, rinsing every couple of bites with another glass of water.

  “At least you won’t get dehydrated,” Matt joked. His brothers laughed, but Will seemed to look at him with a new respect.

  Once the attention was off him, he glanced toward the women again. Lil gave him a smile, then quickly diverted her gaze to talk to Katy. Well, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

  But to Fletch, it felt like it. Once they got the barn erected, there was the work of hauling bedding to the new structures. Fletch got the worst jobs, and by late afternoon it wasn’t only his thumb that throbbed, but every muscle ached and groaned for relief.

  Vic left around mid-afternoon, taking Fletch’s only mode of transportation. But Fletch didn’t want the brothers to see him as a quitter, so he remained behind. He figured he could hitch a ride with Matt after the evening choring. Fletch didn’t know if he would be able to raise himself out of bed the next day, but he didn’t regret his decision to show the Landis men he was sorry for his mistake.

  It was an experience like none other to watch the barn go up and to feel the satisfaction of knowing that the hoop barn had been his idea. Whether Matt ever realized it or not, they had done the right thing. The hoop barns would help the Landis family fight their way out of debt, if that was possible. And now Fletch’s conscience was clear.

  He had given them the hoop barn idea and helped them erect the barns. He had erased the video so nobody had received false information about their farm or farming methods. He had given them hours of free veterinary service before they kicked him off the farm. And he had permitted them to belittle him, even make him the object of their jokes.

  He’d done his part, and now it was up to the Landis family to accept or reject him. He didn’t know Hank and Stephen that well, but he liked Matt, and he respected Will. Because he’d been praying for Rose, he already felt a bond there.

  As for Lil, well, he loved her of course, but he didn’t know if that was enough. He didn’t know if she would use their recent argument as a chance to run in the other direction, or if she would be willing to try again. Either way, he wanted her family to succeed. He was more than happy he had done what he could do make that happen.

  The men didn’t quit to eat supper until after dark. Chores still waited. Fletch washed up, planning to eat another meal with them and help chore. But Matt stuck his head into the kitchen and asked his mom to make him and Fletch a sandwich for the road.

  “I’ll take you home now. We can eat on the way.”

  Fletch, who hadn’t even asked him for a ride yet, started to protest. “Are you sure? I’m prepared to stay.” He dried his hands on the towel and turned to find Hank staring at him.

  “You’ve done your share,” the older, darker son replied. “You don’t have to stay till the last chore is done and crawl yourself home on bloody nubs.” A smile formed on the corner of Hank’s mouth. “We’re not that callous.”

  Even though it was what Fletch had hoped for, now that Hank was actually softening toward him, it felt nothing short of miraculous.

  “You didn’t have to come today. It took guts to face us like you did and stick with us all day. You and I are good now. Thanks. Your help was appreciated.”

  “That … means a lot to me.” Fletch offered his hand, and Hank clasped it. Stephen followed suit.

  Will folded the hand towel. “We shouldn’t have doubted you. You’re welcome here anytime.”

  Fletch couldn’t help but notice that nothing was mentioned about Lil, and she had disappeared. But later he guessed she must have sneaked out the front door, because when he reached Matt’s truck, she was waiting for them.

  “I need to talk to you.”

  Matt sighed. “I’ve got to get back and do chores.” Her brother strode around to the other side of the truck and got inside. He turned on the truck and its headlights.

  Her lip trembled in the dim light, and Fletch wondered if she was going to break up with him.

  “I just wanted to say that … well, everything you said the other night was true. I’m sorry….”

  For the life of him, exhausted as he was and staring into her distressed eyes, Fletch couldn’t remember a thing he had told her. Worse, he couldn’t tell if she was trying to break up or trying to apologize.

  He knew Matt was antsy inside the truck. “Could you give me a hint? Are you
trying to break up here or are you trying to make up?”

  “Don’t make it so hard. I’m apologizing.”

  “Then I’m accepting. But I’m too tired to make much sense tonight.”

  “I know. I’d better go before I’m missed.”

  Fletch squeezed her hand, then flinched from the pain.

  “Thanks for helping my family.”

  He watched her hurry back toward the house, climbing wearily into the cab.

  Matt shook his head. “You just don’t know when to quit, do you?”

  “It would seem so.”

  CHAPTER 31

  Fletch threw his gloves in the trash, then strode into the clinic’s waiting room to call in the next client. “Who’s next?”

  A couple stood, but he didn’t see any pet, and he quickly glanced up, expecting to hear a request for a prescription.

  Frank Stauffer grinned at him, at eye level, now. He was still larger than Fletch, broader across the shoulders, and not quite as slim at the waist. The fiftyish eyes sparkled with amusement, but he didn’t say anything or move a muscle to advance. Fletch’s mother clutched her husband’s arm. She was still blond and trim and modestly dressed. Her lips trembled. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

  “Mom!” Fletch hurried forward and scooped her into his embrace. She cried and repeated his name over and over. Then she cupped his face with her hands and looked up at him. “You look wonderful. So handsome and tall like your father. How I’ve missed you.”

  Fletch struggled to keep his composure. Next, he turned toward his father, instinctively straightening, allowing the other man to examine him. But Frank gripped him hard in the upper arms, and pain from his sore muscles shot through his body. He swallowed. And his dad swept him into a lung-constricting, bear hug.

  They separated, and Fletch gasped, “What a surprise.” He stared at them with disbelief. He’d never dreamed that they would really come to see him.

  “Take these people to lunch or something. You are making a spectacle.” Vic’s teasing voice came down the hallway.