Hometown Promise

by Merrillee Whren

  Music, laughter and conversation floated through the church fellowship hall. Along one wall a huge banner with bright red letters read, Welcome Home, Elise. Lukas stood in the doorway and surveyed the crowd. He spied Juliane across the room talking with a teenage girl he didn’t know. Seeing her made his pulse pick up speed.

  He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he moved into the room. Maybe he could find his equilibrium before he greeted her. She hadn’t told anyone, at least that he was aware of, about his past. But every new social occasion in this town caused that old anxiety to resurface.

  This particular event meant running into Juliane’s cousin Nathan. Lukas had yet to meet Nathan again, because he’d decided not to take part in the choir’s Winter Festival program. Nathan was too busy at the bank, and Lukas had managed to avoid him at church.

  Lukas glanced over at his grandfather. “There’s Juliane. I’m going over there.”

  Ferd turned to Lukas. “I didn’t realize this was a date. So you finally took my advice and asked her out.”

  Lukas shot his grandfather an annoyed look. “Grandpa, this isn’t a date. If it were, I would have brought her to the party, not just showed up. And I certainly wouldn’t be dragging you along.”

  “Well, I am sorry you had to bring me.”

  Lukas blew out a harsh breath. “I didn’t mean for it to come out like that. I’m glad you came with me. I want you to understand that Juliane and her sister, Elise, both invited us to this party. Please don’t make any embarrassing comments about Juliane and me while we are here.”

  Ferd shook his finger at Lukas. “One of these days you’re going to take my advice, and ask that girl out on a real date.”

  Lukas shook his head. “Whatever you say. Just drop it.”

  “Okay. Which one is the sister?”

  Lukas hoped the pounding behind his forehead would subside as soon as his grandfather quit bugging him about Juliane. “The sister’s name is Elise, and she’s the tall one with the blond streaks in her hair.”

  “Very pretty girl. Maybe you’d like her better.”

  “I don’t like her better.”

  “So you do like Juliane.”

  Lukas clamped his mouth shut and counted to ten. He was going to ignore that comment because no matter what he said, his grandfather wouldn’t be convinced that there wasn’t something going on with Juliane. Lukas was having a hard time convincing himself. “Let’s go meet Elise.”

  While Lukas introduced his grandfather to Elise, Juliane joined them. Lukas watched her as she joked with his grandfather. He was enjoying the attention of two pretty women.

  Lukas liked the way Juliane looked in her tan turtleneck sweater that seemed to highlight her eyes. He’d let himself like a lot of things about her, but he couldn’t gauge where he stood with her. Although she was friendly, that familiar tinge of distance underscored their relationship. Even when she’d asked him to the party, she seemed on edge. Maybe he was being too impatient about the situation. Time would help him prove to her that she could trust him not to be the old Lukas Frey.

  “There’s my friend Dot.” Ferd nodded toward the other side of the room. “I am going to go over and say hello.”

  “Okay, Grandpa.”

  Ferd looked at Juliane. “Take care of my grandson, and keep him out of trouble.”

  “I think you’re the one they need to keep out of trouble.” Juliane winked at Ferd.

  “I am too old to get in trouble.” Ferd winked back, then shuffled across the room.

  “Did you say you knew Dot from the senior center?” Lukas asked.

  “Yes, and Dot’s also my aunt Ginny and uncle John’s neighbor.” Juliane chuckled. “And I think I see a little romance in bloom.”

  “I don’t know about the romance, but thanks for inviting Grandpa. He was thrilled that you did.”

  “I thought if he got to know more people from the church, he’d feel more comfortable coming with you. Especially since you are sitting with the choir, and he would have to sit by himself.”

  “He’s more eager to attend church now that he has adjusted to his hearing aids.” Lukas contented himself with talking about his grandfather though he really wanted to know whether he had received his invitation because Juliane wanted him there. She’d never said she’d like him to attend. She’d only indicated that Elise had issued the invitation. Why did he have to be so desperate for Juliane’s approval?

  The evening continued with a buffet supper during which Elise’s aunts, uncles and cousins took turns roasting her with funny stories from the past. But Juliane had the entire room laughing when she told them about the time that Elise opened one of her Christmas presents early, then rewrapped it and put it back under the Christmas tree. On Christmas morning she discovered that someone had replaced the gift with a comic strip about someone receiving an empty box because they had opened a gift early.

  When the laughter died down, Juliane’s parents stood and each told a touching story about Elise and Juliane. They raved about their daughters and thanked God for great family and friends. After they finished, applause filled the room.

  Glancing at his grandfather, Lukas felt the need to thank the older man for trying to help him all those years ago, even though he hadn’t listened to the advice. Maybe now wasn’t the right time for that conversation, but he intended to have it on the way home.

  After the tables were cleared, Juliane’s dad and several others started setting up the karaoke machine. Other people were setting up board games on various tables around the room. There was a game for every taste and every age group. Lukas took in the joy that filled the room and wished he could claim a big happy family like this. He tried to soak up the cheer.

  While Lukas stood there, a man about his age with sandy-brown hair, cut in an almost military style, approached Lukas. The man extended his hand. “Hi, I’m Nathan Keller. I’m not sure whether you remember me, but we worked on some theater productions together when we were in college. I read in the local paper about you becoming the manager of the medical devices plant. I want to officially welcome you to Kellerville.”

  “Thanks, Nathan.” Lukas’s stomach churned as he shook Nathan’s hand. He didn’t remember Nathan. If they’d met on the street, Lukas wouldn’t have known the other man. How was he going to deal with one more person who knew about his past?

  “I’m vice president of the local bank, so I’m also here to help you with any of your banking needs.” Nathan smiled wryly. “I had to say that. If my dad was in earshot, he’d have my head if I didn’t promote the bank.”

  Nathan’s droll comment about his banking duties put Lukas a little more at ease, but he was still trying to think of how to approach Nathan’s introduction. Sometimes honesty came with a price. “When I met Juliane again, she mentioned that you worked at the bank, and she also thought we probably knew each other. But I have to be honest—I’m bad at remembering people from those years. I don’t recall meeting you.”

  “That’s okay. We only met in passing a few times. I had a couple of insignificant parts in a few plays.” Nathan smiled. “Juliane told me you are singing the lead in the musical for the Winter Festival.”

  “I am. Did I hear that was supposed to be your part?”

  “Not necessarily. As you might have noticed, there are a lot more women than men in the choir.”

  Lukas grinned. “I did notice the men are outnumbered.”

  “Anyway, whenever any special parts for men came up, I was always tapped to take it.”

  “Yeah, that’s what Juliane told me.”

  “But this year I’ve been dealing with more work than I need at the bank.” Nathan shook his head. “I couldn’t fit choir practice into my schedule. I’m thankful you moved to town and took that part.”

  “Glad I could help.” Lukas sensed an acceptance he hadn’t expected from Nathan.

  “I hope you like living in Kellerville.”

  “So far I can’t complain.” Lukas breathed
a sigh of relief when Nathan didn’t want to reminisce about their college years.

  “How did the plant weather the storm?”

  “We’ve had people doing double shifts this week to make up the time we lost. But we’re back on schedule now.”

  “I’m sure you’re relieved to get caught up.”

  “Yeah, we had a couple of big orders in the pipeline. I certainly wanted to make delivery on time.” Lukas couldn’t help wondering what Nathan was thinking while he made small talk. Was the man trying to figure out whether Lukas was still drinking? Lucas didn’t remember Nathan, but Nathan remembered him. And Juliane had indicated that Nathan remembered those problematic years. Lukas hated that those years would always haunt him.

  Juliane helped finish the last of the cleanup in the kitchen. Looking through the service opening between the kitchen and the fellowship hall, she watched Lukas talking with Nathan. What were they talking about? Although they seemed to be conversing like old friends, she wondered how Nathan viewed Lukas. Could she casually join their conversation? She laid the dish towel on the counter and meandered in their direction.

  As she drew closer, Nathan glanced her way. “Hey, Juliane, are you up for another Trivial Pursuit challenge? Val and Carrie are setting up the board.”

  “Men against the women again?”

  “Absolutely. I’ve recruited Lukas here for the men’s team.” Nathan clapped Lukas on the back. “That means the women will lose again for sure.”

  “Don’t be so smug.”

  “You mean the men always win?” Lukas asked.

  “Always.” Nathan grinned.

  “That’s not true.” Juliane glared at Nathan.

  “Okay, you’re right.” Nathan pretended to think. “I believe I remember you women winning one game two years ago on New Year’s Eve.”

  Juliane decided to ignore Nathan’s teasing comment. “Did you ask Elise to join the women’s team?”

  “Val did.”

  Lukas looked from Nathan to Juliane. “So this Trivial Pursuit thing is an ongoing event?”

  “Yeah, whenever the family gets together, for whatever occasion, there is at least one Trivial Pursuit match going on.” Juliane motioned toward the other side of the room where her dad had finished setting up the karaoke machine on a small stage. “Before we start the game, it looks like we’re going to have some entertainment. Dad has to get in his karaoke.”

  Lukas wrinkled his brow. “Your dad sings?”

  “Every time we have a family get-together. Now you know where Elise got her longing to entertain.”

  Nathan looked pointedly at Juliane. “I think that applies to both of his daughters.”

  “Maybe, but I’m hardly in the same league with Elise. My entertaining is limited to this little town.”

  Lukas turned from watching the preparations. “So if your dad likes to sing, why doesn’t he sing in the choir?”

  “Because that would require practice.” Juliane laughed. “With karaoke he can just get up and sing.”

  “So what does he sing?” Lukas asked.

  “I think that’s half the fun. Nobody knows until he gets up there.” Nathan motioned toward the corner of the room. “Let’s grab a seat at the Trivial Pursuit table and get ready for the entertainment.”

  “Sure.” Following Nathan, Juliane wondered what Lukas thought about the family gathering. Did he find it enjoyable or rather odd? What difference did it make? Why should she care what he thought of her family? But in spite of herself, she did care. When it came to Lukas Frey she was starting to care very much.

  After almost everyone was seated, Juliane noticed Ferd sitting with Dot. She leaned over to Lukas. “Looks like your grandfather has found a companion for the evening.”

  “I guess. How long has he known Dot?”

  “They’ve both been coming to the senior center ever since I started volunteering there a couple of years ago.”

  “Grandpa’s only lived here a couple of years. So he must’ve started going there as soon as he moved here.” Lukas glanced over at his grandfather again. “So why do you suppose he is just now showing an interest in Dot?”

  “Maybe he decided it was time.”

  “Yeah…” Lukas had a faraway look in his eyes as his voice trailed off.

  Before Juliane could comment, her father hopped up on the stage and grabbed the microphone. “Hello, everyone. It’s good to see you all tonight.”

  There was a smattering of applause and some shouts of agreement from several people.

  Ray held up one hand. “I know you’ve all been waiting for this.”

  “What would a family gathering be without one of your songs?” someone yelled, and laughter rippled through the room.

  “It’d be mighty boring.” Ray gave a big belly laugh as he looked over the crowd. “We’re all here to welcome Elise home, so I’m going to sing a song especially in her honor. Then we’re going to get her up here to sing something. She’s the professional in the family.”

  A little stab of jealousy pierced Juliane’s heart as she listened to her father praise Elise. Juliane knew she had to get over it. She’d promised herself that she’d put away the petty jealousies, but accomplishing that task was harder than she had expected. Besides, her dad was right. Elise was the professional vocalist.

  While Juliane stewed over her own lack of self-discipline, her father started to sing a song made popular by James Taylor. The words about showering the people you love with love hit Juliane’s heart right where the jealousy resided and helped to push it away. When Ray finished singing, Elise ran up to the stage and flung her arms around him. Applause filled the room as father and daughter stood arm in arm to face the crowd.

  “Thanks, Dad.” Giving her dad a kiss on the cheek, Elise grabbed the microphone. “And thanks, everyone, for coming out tonight to welcome me home. It’s so good to be here with family and friends. Now I’m going to sing a song that expresses my feelings about being home.”

  As Elise started to sing, Juliane closed her eyes. She let the words of the song originally sung by Tim McGraw, which told of finding a place to belong, fill her heart. She began to see that she was the fortunate one. She hadn’t had to travel the world to find out where she belonged.

  Elise had said she was glad to be back in Kellerville, but Juliane hadn’t realized how true it was until now. The lyrics poured straight from Elise’s heart as her voice rang throughout the room. Blinking back tears, Juliane swallowed the lump in her throat. She had to help make Elise’s homecoming the best.

  When Elise finished singing, cheers and applause filled the room. She hugged her father again, and a huge smile appeared as she wiped tears away. “Thanks. Now Dad and I want to have a little fun. So I hope you’ll join us.”

  Picking up a second microphone, Ray also grabbed a small bowl from a nearby stand and walked over to Elise. “We’ve put everyone’s name in this bowl, and we’re going to draw some names of people to come and sing.”

  “What if we can’t sing?” someone at the back of the room shouted.

  “There’s no one in this room who can’t sing. You won’t have to sing a solo. Elise is going to sing with you. If your name is drawn, you’ll be escorted to the stage.”

  “You mean like an offer we can’t refuse?” Ray’s brother Carl shouted.

  “You got it, brother.” Grinning, Ray held the bowl out to Elise. “Go ahead and draw a name.”

  “Don’t go pickin’ my name.” Carl pretended to head for the door. “You’ll be sorry if you do. Even with Elise singing with me, you’ll have to hand out earplugs.”

  Elise stuck her hand in the bowl and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Opening it, she smiled. “First on our list of entertainers is…let’s hear some applause for…Hannah Albright.”

  Applause, whistles and cheers sounded through the room as a teenage girl with straight brown hair swinging around her shoulders made her way to the stage.

  As Elise helped Hannah get ready to sing, Ju
liane leaned across to Val. “I have a suspicion that Dad and Elise have rigged the draw. How about you?”

  “Your suspicions are justified, but let’s be thankful. That way we won’t have to listen to anyone who really can’t sing. Like Uncle Carl.” Val grinned, then covered her mouth with one hand.

  Lukas looked over at Juliane with a puzzled expression. “So why do you think a fix is in?”

  “Because Hannah sings in the high school chorus and often has lead parts in the high school musicals. She even sings solos at church from time to time.”

  “How come she doesn’t sing in the church choir?”

  “Too busy. She has something going on every night of the week.” Juliane turned her attention to the stage as the first notes of the intro started to play. “Let’s listen.”

  The bouncy tune of a contemporary Christian song rang out across the room as Elise and Hannah joined in a duet worthy of any professional recording. Would Hannah follow in her older cousin’s footsteps and seek a professional career, or would she find a place in her small hometown like Juliane had? She shook the speculation away. She didn’t need to dwell on the what-might-have-been scenarios for her life. Why did Elise’s return have to resurrect all of Juliane’s self-doubts?

  When Elise and Hannah finished singing, the room exploded with applause, cheering and table pounding. Then shouts for an encore echoed off the walls. Elise and Hannah found another song to sing and brought the house down again. They were a tough act to follow, but several more Keller-family relatives stepped up to the microphone and sang with Elise.

  When Ray returned to the stage, Elise handed him one of the microphones. “Okay, everyone, we’re going to draw one more name. Then you can all get started with your games.”

  Elise drew out another slip of paper and opened it. “Lukas Frey.”

  Juliane’s heart did a little flip-flop when she heard his name. She glanced over at him. He looked back at her with a lopsided grin. “I thought this was only relatives who had to sing.”

  Eric clapped Lukas on the back. “You heard the man. Every person in the room had their name in the bowl.”

  “But I thought Juliane said the fix was in for who was chosen.”