Changes of the Heart

by Judith Mccoy Miller

  “That sounds reasonable. We can certainly use her help with the restaurant—if she has any talent in that direction. I’m sorry. That was an unkind remark,” Georgette quickly added, a blush rising in her cheeks.

  “Well, we already know that she can wash dishes,” Maura replied. “That’s a beginning.”

  Edith returned several hours later, her typically bubbly personality obviously heightened by the answer that she now anticipated receiving. She fluttered into the house and never ceased talking until Georgette placed a cup of tea and plate of cookies in front of her.

  “Oh, thank you, my dear,” she said, taking a bite of an applesauce cookie. “These are wonderful,” she continued, wiping the corners of her mouth with the linen napkin Georgette had supplied.

  “Why don’t you enjoy your tea, and I’ll tell you the plan we have in mind,” Maura suggested, as Edith took another bite of cookie.

  The older woman nodded her head in agreement as she sipped the cup of tea.

  “Since we have only the two bedrooms furnished—” Maura began.

  “Oh, well, we can—” Edith interrupted.

  “Edith! Please allow me to finish explaining; then you may add your comments,” Maura admonished firmly.

  “I’m sorry,” Edith answered meekly, her effervescent nature clearly hard to control at times.

  “As I was saying, since we have only two bedrooms furnished, Georgette and I thought that Marie could come here to work alongside us, preparing for the opening of the restaurant during the day. Then at night, she would return to stay with you and Charles. During this time of becoming acquainted, we would see about furnishing one of the other upstairs bedrooms. If we find ourselves harmonious—and we will make every attempt to do so—we will then offer Marie a home with us. What do you think?” Maura questioned.

  Edith had lost some of her earlier animation and sat quietly for a moment as she finished the last of her tea.

  “I don’t suppose there is much choice, if that’s what you think best. I had hoped you would welcome her immediately,” Edith replied, with a lingering note of persuasiveness in her voice.

  “Now, Edith, don’t try to make us feel guilty. We’ve already had a discussion about guilt earlier this morning. I think our decision will prove best for all three of us. If we find that we’re incompatible, it will be kinder to Marie if she hasn’t already moved into the house. You would agree with that, wouldn’t you?”

  “Well, yes,” she grudgingly compromised.

  “Why don’t you bring her over first thing in the morning, and we’ll see how things go from there?”

  “You’re probably right. I realize adding another person to a household can change the whole complexion of things and I’m asking a lot of you two. But I don’t think you’ll be sorry. She’s a lovely girl,” Edith said.

  “We’re sure that she is,” Georgette answered as she gave Maura a smile.

  “I suppose I should get home and discuss this with Charles and Marie. I haven’t said a word to them yet, and I’m about to burst a seam holding it in,” she said with a giggle.

  The other two women laughed at her last remark. Edith was such a sweet and generous person, but truth was truth: she would probably explode if she didn’t tell them soon.

  “Please keep in mind that Marie may not be interested in this plan,” Maura warned. “Working in a restaurant may be the last thing that she wants to do with her life.”

  “Oh, don’t be silly, Maura. She’ll be delighted,” Edith said, waving a hand to dismiss such a notion and pulling her blue woolen cloak around her shoulders. “Marie and I will be here early tomorrow morning,” she continued while walking down the front steps.

  “Not too early!” Georgette called after her as she smiled at the bustling figure now rushing toward home.

  “We’ve had quite a day, and it’s not even dinner time. I don’t think I can take much more excitement,” Georgette said.

  “Oh, my goodness. Dinner!” Maura exclaimed, jumping from her chair.

  “You needn’t get too excited. It’s just the two of us, and I’m in no big hurry to eat. Besides, we can have something simple,” Georgette said.

  “In all this commotion, I forgot to tell you that I’d invited Luther to dinner this evening. When I took his breakfast this morning, we agreed to meet after supper to further discuss some of our problems. And when he suggested that we meet after dinner, I told him to join us and we could talk after that,” she explained.

  “Well, I’m sure that he’s not expecting a feast, especially after all the work we performed yesterday. Why is he being so pushy? Can’t this wait? I’ll walk down to the store and tell him that we’ve had some unexpected business today so you’re too busy to entertain this evening,” Georgette offered.

  “No—I want to talk to Luther,” Maura stated emphatically. “It’s merely a matter of deciding upon something to fix for dinner.”

  “I see,” Georgette said, pouting. “He’s already got you playing to his tune.”

  “Now what is that supposed to mean? You’ve encouraged me to try and resolve our problems, but now that we’re making progress, you’re acting like a spoiled child.”

  “You’re right. I have no business interfering. It’s just my fear of losing you—of being alone—that makes me so quarrelsome. Forgive me, Maura. You know I want you and Luther to be happy. If you’ll let me help you, I’m certain we can have something prepared for dinner by the time he arrives,” she offered.

  ❧

  Luther seemed to genuinely enjoy the company of the two women throughout dinner and even asked if Becca would soon be awakening so that he could see her.

  “Why don’t you two go into the parlor and visit? I’ll clean up the kitchen,” Georgette suggested when they had each finished a second cup of coffee. “I’ll bring in dessert when I’m through,” she continued since neither of them moved.

  “We had planned to go to my place and visit. That way we won’t be interfering with you and Becca,” Luther explained.

  “Besides, Edith may stop over—you know how impulsive she can be,” Maura hastened to add, noting Georgette’s wounded expression.

  “Oh, of course. How silly of me! You two go along. I’m sure that you’d like to have some privacy,” she replied in an attempt to sound cheerful.

  Luther rose and retrieved his gray blanket-lined jacket from one of the pegs by the kitchen door.

  “I think you’ll need something heavier than your shawl this evening,” Luther said, encouraging Maura to move from the table.

  “What? Oh, yes, I’ll get my wool cape,” she told him, taking his cue.

  Meanwhile, Georgette continued working in the kitchen, saying nothing further as the couple prepared to leave.

  “I think she’s upset,” Maura whispered as Luther held her cape.

  “She’ll be fine,” he whispered back optimistically.

  “We’re leaving, Georgette. Come lock up behind us, please,” Maura called from the hallway.

  “My hands are wet. You go ahead and I’ll lock it in just a minute,” she called back to them.

  Luther leaned forward to open the door as Maura gave him a faltering look. As if realizing that Maura would not leave until the door was locked behind them, Georgette appeared in the hallway, drying her hands on the blue calico apron tied around her waist. Georgette’s red eyes belied the cheerful countenance she attempted to present, and had Luther not steered her out the door, Maura would have insisted that they remain.

  “I don’t like seeing her upset,” Maura confided as they walked down the front steps.

  “I know you don’t. Upsetting Georgette is not what this is about, though. It’s about our marriage,” he replied.

  “You’re right, but it’s still difficult,” she said, feeling a quiver of pleasure as he placed his arm around her while they walked toward his house.

  “Let me take your coat,” he offered as they entered the parlor of his familiar house. “Why don’t you s
it over there on the sofa?” he proposed.

  Maura carefully positioned herself at one end of the carved oak sofa, which had been upholstered in a cotton tapestry fabric in warm shades of brown and tan. He was soon back and sat down beside her, sitting so close that she found herself pinned between the arm of the sofa and Luther’s body.

  “I was so anxious for us to resume our conversation, I could hardly wait for dinner time to arrive,” he told her, leaning down and placing a light kiss upon her lips.

  “Did I tell you that Edith came looking for me when I was bringing your breakfast?” she asked, afraid that his continued kisses would prevent her from thinking coherently.

  “Oh? And what was our good pastor’s wife doing out and about so early this morning?” he asked.

  “It seems that Marie McTavish, one of the dance hall girls who attended the Christmas dinner, went and talked to Charles last night. She wanted to know more about Jesus, and after he explained the plan of salvation, she accepted the Lord,” Maura explained.

  “Well, then, I’d say that the Christmas dinner was a successful ministry. I can just imagine Edith bustling about to spread the good news,” he said, giving her a broad smile.

  “That wasn’t the only reason she came visiting. She was thrilled about Marie, of course, but she was also interested in finding suitable living accommodations for the new convert,” she explained.

  “And the perfect solution is with Georgette,” he excitedly exclaimed.

  “With Georgette and me,” she corrected. “Edith’s idea was that Marie come and live with us and help in the restaurant.”

  “But, Maura, don’t you see? This must be God’s answer to our problem. Marie needs a place to live, and Georgette needs someone to live with her, which frees you to return home. This is wonderful news,” he said, pulling her into his arms with a tight embrace.

  “Not so fast, Luther,” she cautioned. “I can’t just move out and leave Georgette living with a complete stranger.”

  “Why not? You two were strangers,” he rebutted.

  “Not really. We had developed a friendship while on board the ship and during the time we lived here with you. There was no question that we could compatibly live under the same roof, and we had a vested interest in making the situation work in order to support ourselves,” she reminded him.

  “She and this Marie can become friends, and they’ll both realize the fact that they need to get along. After all, nothing is going to change their need to support themselves. At least not right away,” he again rebutted. “When is Marie moving in?” he asked, his voice filled with excitement.

  “Well, we haven’t agreed that she can—at least not yet. We—”

  “Why not? It’s a perfect solution for all of us,” he interupted.

  “We want to see if we’re compatible first. Marie is coming to meet us tomorrow. If the meeting goes well, she will come to work for us during the days and return to the Wilsons at night. Then—and only then—will we suggest that she move in with us. We did agree to begin furnishing an additional upstairs bedroom for her,” Maura explained.

  “Wait a minute! What’s all this talk about we? Georgette’s the only one who has to get along with her, and I’m sure that she’ll make more effort if she knows you’ve decided to return home. The two of them should be deciding how they want to operate the restaurant and if they want to begin furnishing additional rooms. It will only complicate matters if they begin to rely on you—Georgette already does too much of that. Besides, Marie can have your room. It’s the answer to my prayers,” he solemnly told her.

  “It may be the answer to my prayers also, Luther. But I think we’re going to need time to make sure. We have several differing ideas that we need to resolve—”

  “You could move back tomorrow,” he interrupted, ignoring her protests. “I can bring the wagon over first thing in the morning, and I’m sure that Michael and Charles will be glad to help. You can run the store while we’re doing that.”

  He gave her a reassuring hug with a look of complete satisfaction written on his face.

  “No!”

  “No? What do you mean, no?” he asked, turning sideways on the sofa to look at her.

  “I want to take the time to effect a lasting reconciliation; I’ve told you that. Luther, I don’t plan to give up my interest in the restaurant. The money we used to purchase that home was an unexpected inheritance from Rachel Windsor. It was her dream to open a restaurant and boarding house in California. Georgette and I are fulfilling that dream not only for ourselves but also in memory of Rachel. That may be hard for you to understand, but I’d like to think that we are being good stewards and providing a much-needed service to this community, as well as supporting ourselves,” she explained carefully.

  “You don’t need to support yourself any longer. That’s my job, and I want to do it. Let Georgette and Marie fulfill the dream. It doesn’t have to be you. Besides, you won’t have time for working at the restaurant,” he stated and then pulled her close, attempting to capture her lips.

  Quickly she turned her head. “No, Luther. We won’t solve our problems by everything being exactly as you say and then your quieting me with a kiss. My resentment would begin to rise, and eventually your kisses would become bitter. I don’t want that to happen,” she replied.

  “What is the answer, then? We do everything as you say so that you’ll be happy?” he asked in an irritated voice.

  “No. If we did that, you wouldn’t be happy. After a while, you probably would cease to want even my kisses,” she replied, smiling weakly. “I don’t want that to happen, either.”

  “So? What do we do?”

  She looked thoughtful. “Would you object if I planned the menus and ordered the supplies for the restaurant?” she ventured.

  “Well, no. That would probably work. Perhaps you could arrange to go over menus with Georgette and help at the restaurant two or three mornings a week,” he answered.

  She gave him an endearing smile in return. “I would like a kiss,” she stated.

  He laughed heartily and promptly accommodated her request.

  “Now, for the next matter,” she said, moving from his fervent hold. “We need to come to an agreement about when I will move back home. I know you want it to be tomorrow. However, I think three months would give us enough time to be sure that Georgette is comfortable with the new arrangement,” she said sweetly.

  “Absolutely not!” he bellowed. “I’ll not wait three months— one month is the absolute maximum I’ll agree to!”

  “Six weeks?” she questioned.

  “The first day of February. You will sleep under this roof commencing the first day of February and not a day past. Do I have your word?”

  His folded arms and furrowed brow gave evidence that he would brook no further argument.

  “You have my word. Shall we seal it with a kiss?” she inquired, moving toward him.

  “If anyone had ever told me that you would totally capture my heart and mind, I would have laughed. Just look at me—a complete fool over the woman I felt obligated to marry. Do you know how much I love you?” he asked, pulling her toward him.

  Before she could answer, his lips were upon hers with an urgency and obvious desire that soon inflamed her whole being. Returning his passion, she surrendered her lips and returned his kiss with mounting ardor. His hand cupped the nape of her neck, which pulled her even closer and held her captive to the intensity of his yearning.

  “We must stop this,” Maura murmured, reluctantly pushing away from him.

  “Why? We are married,” he argued, attempting to pull her back into his arms.

  “But I don’t feel married, Luther,” she answered.

  “I’d like to change that! It’s you who’s not willing,” he replied. The sorrow in his eyes was apparent.

  “I’m willing, Luther. But I believe that it would be better to wait until I’ve moved back home and we are truly living together. A new beginning to our mar
riage, with both of us eager and willing to share our lives. Does that make sense to you?”

  He waited for what seemed an eternity and then turned toward her with a smile emerging upon his face.

  “Why don’t we really start over? Let’s have a church wedding, like you dreamed of, with our friends there with us. I’m sure that Charles would be pleased to perform the ceremony, and it would give Edith another project to oversee. What do you think?” he asked, his excitement now contagious.

  “And we could have a small reception at the restaurant,” she added. “Oh, Luther, it would be grand. Thank you for being so thoughtful,” she said, spontaneously giving him a hug.

  “Let’s go tell Georgette,” he suggested, rising from the sofa and offering her his hand.

  “I probably should get back, but I’d rather wait to tell Geor-gette. I think she’ll accept it more once she’s gotten acquainted with Marie.”

  “You’re probably right. Just remember this: you agreed to move back by the first of February at the latest,” he reminded her.

  “What do you think of January twenty-ninth as our wedding day?” she asked.

  “It sounds fine. Is there something significant about that particular day?” he inquired.

  “Yes. It’s my parents’ wedding anniversary, and they’ve been married almost forty years. Perhaps it will be a good date for us, also,” she said, giving him a smile.

  “Then January twenty-ninth it is,” he replied while retrieving her cape from the small closet in the hallway.

  THIRTEEN

  Marie McTavish invaded the lives of Maura, Georgette, and Becca with an enthusiasm and joy that nobody could ignore. The gifts of her newfound salvation and friends were a seemingly constant source of delight to her, and she expressed it in every way possible. Having left seven brothers in Ohio, she was immediately captivated by Becca’s many charms. In fact, it seemed as if the baby were always riding on her hip.

  “You’re spoiling her,” Georgette mildly scolded as Marie walked into the kitchen early one morning with Becca in her usual position, resting on Marie’s hip.