Annie's Answer (16 page)

“Really, you
don’t have to. Mattie will want to hear more about your idea.”

“She’s heard
all she can digest right now,” he said catching her hand in his. “I’m taking
you to work.”

After one more
feeble protest, she let him lead her back to his car, telling herself it was
because she didn’t want to deal with her boss if she was one minute late.

“The prefab is
a wonderful idea,” she said when they were on their way.

“The land is
just sitting here. Dad has no plans for it, so Mattie might as well use it. I
like the idea of having her close.”

“She has so
much energy, it’s easy to forget how old she is,” Annie said.

“Yes, this
should work out. With luck, I can have her moved into her own little house
before my parents get home. But that’s enough about Aunt Mattie. There’s
something I want to ask you.”

“I’m practically
late for work,” she said, not ready to hear what he was going to say.

Would he tell
her Mattie no longer needed a companion? She would have to agree, although it
would be an awful blow to her plans to buy the flower shop.

“Why don’t I
come by when you’re through this evening? Meanwhile, I’ll take a look at your
car and call a mechanic if I can’t get it going.”

“Or you could
call my grandfather. I’m sure he’d take care of it.”

“I won’t need
to bother him. It’s the least I can do after you spent the week trudging
through houses with my aunt.”

It’s what
you’re paying me for. She thought it but didn’t say it aloud.

As soon as he
pulled into the parking lot, she slid out of the car with a quick thanks. How
could she possibly get through the evening without knowing what he was going to
ask?

“You just made
it,” her waitress friend Marie said when Annie punched in. “Bad news. The
boss’s wife is here.”

Annie couldn’t
stifle a groan. Bob was overbearing enough, but when his spouse decided to keep
the staff on their toes, she gave so many orders it created chaos.

“I have to
change,” Annie said, ducking into the small staff restroom. Her uniform was
wrinkled from lying in the car all day, the apron she’d grabbed from the linen
cupboard had a big stain, and she wanted to cry, sure Nathan didn’t have good
news for her.

Had everyone
in Westover decided to have pancakes for supper? By six o’clock people were
lined up for a table, and Mrs. Hoekstra ordered Annie to clean tables when the
bus boy, who happened to be the Bob Hoekstra’s nephew, couldn’t keep up.

“You take the
party of ten,” she said as Annie tried to wheel away an overloaded cart of
dirty dishes.

“They’re
sitting at Marie’s tables,” she protested, tempted to quit and scrap her dream
of being independent. Maybe it wasn’t going to happen anyway.

“We’ll work
together,” Marie said. “That’s how we do it.”

The boss’s
wife sputtered, but maybe she realized how close she was to losing two
waitresses at the peak of Friday night business.

When the
noisy, demanding family of ten left, she didn’t bother to share the one-dollar
tip with Marie.

Usually busy
nights went fast. This one was the exception. Annie was sure her watch had
stopped, and the hands on the kitchen clock seemed to move at a snail’s pace
too.

Bob, who’d
been pretty quiet while his wife bullied the waitresses, decided all the tables
and chairs had to be scrubbed before they could leave for the evening. Annie
had just plunged her hands into a pail of hot water and disinfectant when
Nathan come to the door, knocking to get inside.

“We’re
closed,” Mrs. Hoekstra scolded through the glass, opening the door when he
refused to leave.

“I thought
Annie was through at ten,” he said, pointedly looking at his watch. “I’m a
little late picking her up.”

“The
waitresses are expected to help set up for tomorrow,” Bob said.

“Do you pay
them for the extra time?” Nathan was taking a small white card out of his shirt
pocket.

“They’re
adequately compensated,” Mrs. Hoekstra said.

“That wasn’t
my question,” Nathan said in a quiet voice, handing her his card. “We do have
some labor laws in this state.”

“Oh, you’re
with Sawyer and Sawyer,” the boss’s wife said in a pleasant voice. “They
handled my divorce.”

“That would be
my father. Do you need to get anything before we leave, Annie?”

“Yes,” she
said, glancing at Marie who’d continued scrubbing a sticky table. “Can we give
my friend a ride home?”

“Of course.”
Nathan gave the manager and his wife a challenging smile.

Marie was
quick to realize she’d been released too. In only minutes the two of them were
in the parking lot.

“I have my own
car, but thanks for getting me out of there,” she said with a mischievous
smile. “I was going to give two weeks notice, but now I may quit after this
weekend. I just passed the test for my real estate license, and I start with an
agency after the Fourth of July.”

“Congratulations!”
Annie said, hugging her before going to Nathan’s car.

“Were you able
to get my car started?” she asked, hoping to postpone whatever he wanted to
tell her.

“Yes, it’s
back at your house. I think you flooded it.”

“Thank you. It
can be tricky to drive.”

He was silent
until he parked on the street in front of her house.

“I don’t know
quite how to ask this,” he said in a hesitant voice, turning off the motor and
turning toward her.

Annie braced
herself, expecting to be fired from her job as Mattie’s companion. Certainly
Nathan’s aunt could get along just fine without her.

“My father
always throws a big party at the country club on the Fourth of July. Golf in
the afternoon with a black tie dinner and dance afterward. And fireworks, of
course. This year he’s dumped the whole thing on me. I’d like to get out of it,
but many of our important clients will be there.”

“It sounds
like a lot of work.” She wasn’t at all sure why he was telling her about it.

“No, it’s all
catered by the club. The manager takes care of  the
arrangements—and, of course, Bonnie sends the invitations, keeps track of
the RSVP’s, that sort of thing. But I need your help.”

“I’ll be happy
to help,” she said, although she had no idea what she could do, maybe help
serve dinner since she was a waitress. Or being in charge of the floral
arrangement might be fun.

“You’ll be
saving the evening. I need a hostess.”

“I beg your
pardon?” What on earth would a hostess do at a country club party?

“Maybe I
should put it this way: I would very much appreciate it if you’d be my date for
the evening.”

“Your date?
But I’ve never been—I wouldn’t know.…”

“You’re
beautiful, charming, friendly—the perfect hostess. Will you go with me?”

“Oh, I couldn’t
possibly. I don’t have anything to wear.”

It was the
only excuse she could give him without admitting she was afraid of meeting so
many important people. What could she say to them? How could she possibly fit
in at such a posh party? No, no, no! She just couldn’t do it, not even for the
chance to be with Nathan.

“Is that all?”
He laughed softly. “I’ll see that you have a gown the other women will envy.”

“You can’t buy
me a dress!”

“Then wear
that pretty blue dress you wore to the Barn Theatre. Without the jacket, of
course.”

“That was my
prom dress! I can’t wear that.”

“Then I wish
I’d been there to take you to the prom. Just say you’ll go, and we can work out
the details. Besides wanting you as my date, I really need you. You’re not
going to make me go to the firm’s party by myself, are you?”

Annie was at
war with herself. As badly as she wanted to go with Nathan, she was totally
intimidated by the thought of a country club dinner dance. What would she say
to those people? Would they ignore her or make comments behind her back? She
didn’t belong there. Why couldn’t Nathan see that?

“Annie?” he
murmured.

“Isn’t there
anyone more suitable?”

He laughed.

“Think of
yourself as Cinderella if it makes you more comfortable about going. But please
go with me, Annie.”

“All right.”
She could hardly get the words out, but how could she possibly refuse the man
she loved, even if he didn’t have a clue why she was so reluctant? 

“How
wonderful,” Annie’s mother said at breakfast Saturday  morning when she
heard about Nathan’s invitation to the country club party.

“I knew that
boy has good sense,” Gramps said, putting three-minute eggs in little cups in
front of them.

“I don’t see
how I can go,” Annie said, miserable after a restless night worrying about it.

“You did say
yes, didn’t you?” Mom asked.

“Yes, but….”

“It wouldn’t
be polite to back out after you agreed to go,” her mother said, gently cracking
her egg on the edge of her plate.

“It’s a party
for the law firm’s clients. Everyone will be older and….”

“You’re
worried the guests will be snobs,” Gramps said, “but maybe you’re judging a
little prematurely considering you haven’t met them yet.”

Her
grandfather rarely rebuked her. Maybe she was biased against Nathan’s clients
without even meeting them. She’d only been thinking of how awkward she would
feel.

“You’re
right,” she admitted. “I shouldn’t assume the guests will be unfriendly.”

“It’s settled
then,” Mom said.

“No, it’s not!
I don’t have anything to wear. Nathan said it was white tie. I’m not even sure
what that is, but it certainly doesn’t mean I can wear my prom dress. I can’t
possibly go. It has nothing to do with the other guests.”

“Remember, I
offered to buy you a new dress now that you’re dating again. We’ll go to the
mall today.” Her mother smiled benignly, certain the subject was closed.

“Mom, it’s not
a date—not exactly anyway. Nathan needs a hostess. I just happen to be
available.”

Her mother
looked skeptical, and Gramps cracked his egg so hard the yellow ran out on his
fingers.

“I love shopping
for you,” her mother said. “You’re not going to deprive me of the pleasure, are
you?”

“You know it
won’t be easy to find anything to fit me,” Annie said, sure the trip would be
useless. Where would she find a fancy dress short enough for her at the small
mall?

“I’ve been
shortening your clothes for enough years to know I can fix anything you find,”
Mom said confidently.

“All right,
I’ll go, but I don’t promise to let you buy a dress for me.”

After she
hastily finished her breakfast, Annie checked the calendar on the kitchen wall.
The Fourth of July was a week from Thursday, her evening off from the pancake
house. She couldn’t even use her job as an excuse not to go.

As she often
did when she was upset, Annie went out to the garden and prayed while she tended
her roses. She had many reasons to be thankful to the Lord, and she had to
trust her future to him. The summer would go fast. Even if Nathan didn’t return
her feelings, she was blessed with the gift of faith and the love of her
family.

When they got
to the mall a few hours later, her mother mapped out their plan of attack.

“There aren’t
many stores that carry formal wear,” she said. “If we can’t find something
suitable in a clothing shop, we’ll try the Bridal Boutique.”

“I can’t wear
a wedding dress to the country club,” Annie protested.

“They carry
gowns for attendants. Maybe something will be suitable,” her mother said
optimistically.

Annie followed
in her mother’s wake, going from store to store and trying on everything from a
matronly moss green jersey dress to a pink formal on sale because no high
school girl had chosen it as her prom dress.

“You can see
this is hopeless,” Annie finally said. “There’s nothing in this mall that will
work.”

“We haven’t
tried the bridal shop,” Mom reminded her.

At the entrance
to the Bridal Boutique, a clerk met them and  asked them to remove their
shoes.

“We try to
keep our carpet pristine so our brides can model their long trains in the
three-way mirror out here,” she explained. “Many of them come with a group of
friends or relatives.”

“We’re looking
for a ball gown, not a wedding dress,” Mom said stepping out of her sandals.

“You may be in
luck. A wedding was cancelled due to the groom’s deployment overseas in the
military. Unfortunately, I’d already ordered the bridesmaids’ gowns, so they’re
on sale. Let me show you.”

Annie tried on
a lavender dress two sizes too large that made her skin look sallow and a
yellow gown too frilly to consider.

“We have one
more that might work for you,” the clerk said.

Twenty minutes
later Annie walked out carrying a shimmering coppery-brown gown that fell to
the floor in a graceful swirl. It was the most sophisticated dress she’d ever
owned, but she worried because her mother wouldn’t let her see the price.

“Now for your
hair,” Mom insisted.

They waited
nearly thirty minutes at the walk-in salon, but Annie left with highlights in
her new sleek head-hugging hairdo that perfectly picked up the glow in her
gown.

“That was
fun,” her mother said as they drove home.

Annie only
hoped she had half as much fun wearing the gown as her mother had had buying
it. She wasn’t optimistic.

Monday was the
first day of what Annie was sure would be the longest ten days of her life.
Even though she loved her new dress, she knew it wasn’t enough to make her fit
in with the people at Nathan’s party. At least she could tell him she had a
suitable dress so he wouldn’t bring up buying one for her again.

He was gone
before she got there Monday morning. She didn’t know whether to be relieved or
disappointed.