Changes of the Heart

by Judith Mccoy Miller

  Maura’s plan worked. Their guests didn’t seem to mind the wait once they reached the kitchen and were served the finely prepared meal. The biggest problem turned out to be keeping enough clean dishes; however, once again Maura convinced Luther and Michael to aid the women who were rushing to wash, dry, and replace the plates, cups, and silverware. They helped with the chore until several of the dance hall girls asked if they could assist. Maura quickly accepted their offer and put the men to work at other chores.

  After all of the guests had been served, the kitchen cleaned, and the rest of the group had departed, Maura, Luther, Georgette, and Michael sat down in the parlor before the glowing fire Michael had started a few hours earlier.

  Luther and Maura were seated on the tapestry-covered loveseat. His arm was draped around her shoulders and her head rested against his arm. Michael and Georgette were deep in conversation regarding the events of the day when Luther leaned down and kissed Maura’s ear.

  She looked up and smiled sleepily.

  “Come home with me?” he asked.

  “I am home, Luther,” she replied but felt him stiffen as soon as she said the words.

  “Your home is with me,” he rebutted, keeping his voice low.

  “Well, yes, that’s true enough. But, Georgette and I bought this place. You know that. I can’t just walk off and leave her alone,” she whispered.

  “Would you like for us to leave you alone?” Michael asked.

  “No,” Maura said.

  “Yes, that would be appreciated,” Luther replied, overriding her answer.

  As soon as they’d left the room, Luther turned toward Maura. “I want you to come home and begin our life as husband and wife, Maura. We’ve begun to work out our problems, and we need to be together if we’re going to make our marriage succeed,” he told her.

  “I know there is truth in what you’re saying, but there is so much left for us to discuss and, as I said a few minutes ago, I can’t just walk out on Georgette.”

  “You didn’t seem to have much problem walking out on me,” he reminded her, trying to remain patient.

  “You’ve told me to be honest and open with you. I’m going to try and do that, Luther, and I hope I won’t regret it,” she said, turning to look at him and taking his hand in hers. “I believe it would be best if we at least discuss our problems and how we can resolve them before I return. I won’t deny my feelings for you—I’m sure you’ve already guessed how much I care for you, but I won’t deny that you’ve hurt me deeply also. I don’t want that to happen again. Let’s take a little time and do this right,” she pleaded.

  “Just because we wait six months or six years doesn’t assure we’ll be happy,” he said, obviously referring to the six-month waiting period she’d invoked prior to their marriage.

  “I’m not talking about six months, Luther. Just enough time to discuss some of the problems we face and how to resolve them. And whether or not you want to acknowledge it, leaving Georgette and the baby living alone is different from when I left you. She’d have to find someone to stay at the house with her, at least during the night. She’d be scared to death to stay alone, and after what happened to me, I certainly wouldn’t want to place her in such a precarious position. Of course, I’d be there during the day to help her with the restaurant,” she continued.

  “You plan to continue the restaurant venture? Even after you return home? I don’t think that would ever work,” he said incredulously.

  “You see, Luther, there are many things for us to resolve. I want our marriage to succeed, probably more than you can imagine. But it would be folly for me to return now,” she told him.

  “Then I suppose there’s nothing left to say,” he answered, rising to leave.

  “That’s just it, Luther—there is everything left to say,” she replied. “Please tell me that you’re not angry and that we’ll talk further,” she implored.

  “You’ve misunderstood me again, my dear. I merely meant there was nothing further to say about your returning home tonight. We will talk and we will resolve our differences and you will return home,” he stated, his voice filled with confidence.

  “You sound very sure of yourself,” she replied.

  “I’m sure of God’s plan for us, and I’m sure that I love you, Maura Buchanan,” he told her, holding out his hand to her.

  She rose to meet his waiting arms and feel the warmth of his kiss. They walked toward the front door and, after they kissed good night, she watched him as he walked down the street. Surprising her, he turned, blew her a kiss, and called out, “Merry Christmas.”

  “Merry Christmas,” she called back. You’re a complex man, Luther Buchanan, she thought, just as Michael and Georgette walked outside.

  “Luther gone home for the night?” Michael asked.

  “Yes, for the night,” Maura answered and then returned indoors, leaving the couple to say their good nights.

  TWELVE

  Maura rose early the next morning and had finished preparing breakfast before Georgette awakened.

  “Aren’t you the early bird,” Georgette said, walking into the kitchen. “You ought to enjoy these last few days before we open the restaurant—sleep in while you can,” she said, giving her friend a charming smile. “Are you planning on serving breakfast to the whole town or are you extra hungry?” Georgette continued, eyeing the plates of ham, eggs, biscuits, and gravy.

  “I thought I’d take Luther’s breakfast down to him,” Maura replied, avoiding Georgette’s watchful gaze.

  “That’s a first, isn’t it?” Georgette inquired. “It appears that the two of you are getting things worked out. It was nice to see you snuggled together last evening—just like a married couple should be,” she continued, not waiting for an answer to her question.

  “Luther has told me that he wants the marriage to work and that he cares for me,” she told her friend. “I believe him, but we need to resolve some of our differences before we make another attempt at living together.”

  “Living together! I hadn’t given any thought to that. When the two of you get your problems resolved, I’ll be left alone,” Georgette said, a slight sound of panic in her voice.

  “Please don’t worry, Georgette. I won’t leave before we make suitable living arrangements,” Maura reassured her friend.

  “You’re not going to desert me, are you? And what about our business? I can’t do this on my own, Maura. I need you,” she pleaded, fear evident in her eyes.

  “Georgette, please don’t cry,” Maura said, enveloping her friend and hugging her close. “We’ll work this out. I promise—and I take my promises seriously,” she said. “Now, you go get ready for the day, and I’ll take this food down to Luther and be back shortly.”

  The bell over the door announced Maura’s entrance, although Luther knew she was coming. He’d seen her leaving the house and watched as she walked down the street, carrying a basket over her arm. His heart gave a small leap of pleasure when she cheerfully announced that she’d brought him breakfast.

  “Did I arrive in time, or have you already had breakfast?” she asked, handing him the wicker basket.

  “I haven’t eaten yet, but even if I had, there’d still be room for your cooking,” he praised, enjoying the blush it brought to her cheeks.

  Removing the contents of the basket, he gestured toward a chair. “Please sit down and visit with me,” he offered.

  “I told Georgette I’d be right back,” she said. “When she saw that I had fixed breakfast for you, the realization that we might get back together hit her. Don’t misunderstand—she wants nothing more than for us to be reunited—but she’s fearful of her future. I promised her I wouldn’t move out until we’d agreed upon satisfactory arrangements,” she continued.

  “That could take a long time, Maura. Perhaps you shouldn’t have made such a promise,” he cautioned.

  “The Lord will provide a way when the time is right. I’m sure of it,” she told him. “Is there a time t
oday when we could talk further?” she asked invitingly.

  “Why don’t you come here? That way Georgette won’t feel that she’s confined to her room while we’re talking,” he answered. “As soon as I’ve closed the store, I’ll come and fetch you.”

  “Come for supper, and we can leave after that,” she suggested.

  “That sounds good,” he answered, obviously pleased that she wanted to continue their conversation.

  “I’d better be getting back. Just bring those along when you come,” she instructed, indicating the dishes and basket.

  “I’ll do that. Thank you for breakfast. It’s delicious,” he said, dipping one of the biscuits into the creamy white gravy.

  “You are most welcome,” she graciously replied as she left the store.

  Maura had just begun walking toward home when she saw Edith rushing toward her and waving her arm. “Maura! Maura!” the woman called out.

  “What is it, Edith? Is something wrong with Georgette?” she asked, fearful for her friend and the baby.

  “No, no, they’re fine. I stopped by to see you, and Georgette said you were at the store with Luther. She said to tell you she was taking Becca for some fresh air. Do you have time for a visit?”

  “Certainly. Come back to the house, and I’ll fix a fresh pot of coffee,” she suggested.

  Removing the china cups and flowered china dishes from the walnut cabinet in the dining room, Maura carried them into the kitchen and poured the steaming liquid into the two cups. She carefully arranged some biscuits on one of the plates and placed it in the center of the table alongside a small crock of strawberry preserves.

  “What brings you visiting so early this morning?” Maura asked as she settled in the chair opposite her visitor.

  “You’ll be so pleased to hear my news—I just couldn’t wait to come tell you,” Edith chortled. “After Charles and I returned home last night, we had a visitor.”

  She said nothing further, and Maura knew that she was expected to encourage her. “And who was that?” she asked, playing along.

  “One of the dance hall girls, the one with the black curls. Her name is Marie McTavish,” Edith told her. “She said you visited with her for a short time while she was washing dishes.”

  “Yes, I remember her,” Maura recalled. “A pretty girl. She asked me several questions about why we were hosting the dinner. When I told her we wanted to give folks an option other than gambling or drinking to celebrate Christ’s birth, she seemed genuinely touched. However, I didn’t have time to visit very long, and when I returned later, she was gone.”

  “Well, she came to our house last night at about nine o’clock. Said she wanted to ask some questions about being a Christian. Charles was so good with her, explaining things carefully. He revealed the plan of salvation and then read to her from Romans 10:9-13. She became so excited when Charles assured her that God would forgive her sins. It truly brought tears to my eyes hearing her. When I was listening to her talk, it was apparent that the poor girl thought no one else in the world had ever been as sinful as she had been. After several hours of talking and praying, she accepted Christ as her Savior. Can you believe it? God gave us a miracle yesterday!” she exclaimed.

  “I think He probably gave us more than one,” Maura replied, “but that is certainly wonderful news. I’m sure that the angels are rejoicing for Marie, and I’m happy that you came and shared the information with me.”

  Edith gave Maura a timid smile. “It’s true that I wanted you to hear the news right away, but there’s a little more we need to talk about,” she said, a note of reticence in her voice.

  “What’s that?” Maura inquired, not sure where the conversation was leading.

  “Needless to say, Marie doesn’t want to return to her previous lifestyle and, well, I don’t think she’d be happy staying with Charles and me. Besides, I’m not sure that the parishioners would agree to that type of arrangement on a long-term basis. So, after I went to bed last night, a thought came to mind that perhaps. . .”

  Edith left the sentence dangling while she took a sip of coffee.

  When Maura said nothing, she finally asked, “Well, what do you think?”

  “About what, Edith? You said that a thought came to mind, but you didn’t tell me what it was,” Maura answered.

  “Well, I was hoping for an invitation for Marie to move in here with you and Georgette,” she replied, giving Maura a look of exasperation. “You’re such a bright young lady, Maura, that I was sure you’d know what plan came to my mind.”

  “You can’t be serious, Edith! We don’t even know her,” Maura exclaimed.

  “Know who?” Georgette inquired, catching the tail end of the conversation as she entered the house with Becca in her arms.

  “Marie McTavish. She’s one of the dance hall girls that attended the dinner—” Edith began.

  “She was converted last night, and now Edith has come to ask if she can move in with us,” Maura interrupted.

  “Move in with us?” Georgette asked, a look of shock on her face. “A dance hall girl?”

  “A converted dance hall girl,” Edith corrected.

  “Good heavens, Edith, I don’t know how you could even ask such a thing. I have a young daughter to rear, and I certainly don’t need the influence of a woman of ill repute living with us,” Georgette replied, giving the older woman a stern look.

  “‘Let he who is without sin cast the first stone,’” Edith quietly responded. “This young lady has accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. She needs the support and affection of Christians, not judgment and derision. However, I’ve obviously made an error in judgment. Please forgive me,” she said as she rose from her chair.

  “Wait, Edith,” Maura said, taking the woman’s hand. “You must realize the fact that you’ve caught us completely off guard with your request. I’m not saying it’s totally out of the question, but Georgette and I really need to discuss this. Why don’t you come back after lunch, and we’ll talk further?” she requested.

  “I’ll be happy to do that,” she answered somewhat dejectedly, her spirit of enthusiasm waning.

  No sooner had she left the house than Georgette turned on Maura. “How can you even consider such a thing? She’s an immoral woman. What kind of message would we be sending to the community if we harbored the likes of her?”

  “Listen to yourself, Georgette. Christ forgave you when you became a Christian, He forgave me when I became a Christian, and He forgave Marie when she became a Christian. Who she was and how she supported herself in the past has no bearing on the conversation at hand.”

  “Oh, really?” Georgette questioned sarcastically.

  “I seem to recall you repeating a certain statement to me a while back. It was a comment I’d made to you about Christians being so unforgiving and critical of each other that Satan can just sit around and enjoy the chaos that they create for each other. Do you remember that?” Maura inquired.

  “Yes, I remember that. But we were talking about you and Luther. It was a totally different set of circumstances.”

  “I see,” Maura replied. “So you think we should be able to pick and choose the circumstances to which we apply God’s principles?”

  “Well, not exactly, but I think this is different,” Georgette stubbornly answered.

  “I don’t want to hurt you, Georgette, but please tell me how you rationalize your decision. You needed refuge and assistance when you were pregnant with an illegitimate child. I felt it was my Christian responsibility to help you, and God has blessed me with a wonderful friend because of the assistance I rendered to you and Becca. How can you now so quickly dismiss another woman in need?” Maura asked.

  “You make me sound like a wretch,” she said in a hushed voice. “Deep down I know that we should help her, but I’m so afraid of bringing unwanted attention upon myself or Becca. I don’t want people to find out about the circumstances of her birth. In fact, I haven’t even told Michael. You and Luther ar
e the only ones that know, and I live in daily fear that he’ll tell Michael. I know that it’s selfishness on my part, because I don’t want to face the ugliness in my past.”

  Without a word, Maura placed her arm around Georgette’s shoulder and gave her a reassuring hug.

  “We all have things in our past that we’re ashamed of, but we can’t let that be a deterrent to helping others. Satan uses that old scheme a lot,” she reminded Georgette.

  “I know what you say is right, but I don’t want things to change,” Georgette replied, her voice barely audible.

  “Life is full of continual changes, Georgette. Nothing stays the same. Besides, most changes are exciting and fun if we keep an open mind about what God has planned for us.”

  “What’s fun about all of this?” she asked, pursing her lips in a pout.

  “Maybe I should rephrase that. Sometimes changes are exciting and fun—other times they may be painful. What I do know is that God always leaves us with a message through those changes, and those messages are exciting,” she explained.

  “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to talk to her. If we do agree, where is she going to stay? The only furnished bedrooms are yours and mine,” Georgette reminded Maura.

  “I think that Charles and Edith would be willing to have her remain with them for a short time, at least until we can make adequate arrangements for furniture. Edith’s concern was that Marie have some type of permanent living arrangement in place, not that she move her out immediately.”

  “If that’s the case, perhaps we could ask Michael about making a bed,” Georgette suggested.

  Maura smiled at Georgette, who had gone from one extreme to the other in a matter of minutes. First she had wanted nothing to do with Marie, but now she had Michael making a brand new bed.

  “Why don’t we meet with Marie? If we find her personality agreeable, perhaps she could come over during the days and help us get ready for the opening of the restaurant. If we all get along and it appears that we could live together, we’ll make plans for furnishing a bedroom. What do you think?” Maura asked.