Marriage Seasons 03 - Falling for You Again (34 page)

Esther had gone away, but so many things were still happening. A baby would arrive to join the Finley family. Miranda planned to move into a new house. Cody wanted to marry Jennifer. Jennifer needed to talk.

Life did go on, didn’t it? Charlie thought about that as he and Cody thanked the Finleys for sharing their Thanksgiving dinner. The afternoon sun had begun to cast shadows across the road as they turned the golf cart toward the Haneses’ small home. How many hours had passed since Charlie sat with Boofer in the old recliner and watched the channels changing on his television?

“You’re not gonna like this.” Brad Hanes opened his front door to Charlie and Cody. He spoke in hushed tones. “Ashley burned the pumpkin pie, so her mother bought one at the grocery store. It tastes like cardboard.”

Inside, Ashley took one look at Charlie and burst into tears. Draped with necklaces and bracelets, she threw her arms around him and sobbed. “I can’t think about anything else,” she wailed. “How could it have happened, Mr. Moore? It doesn’t seem possible, does it? She meant so much to me. We spent all our time together, and she helped me with my beads and my cooking, and I could tell her everything. I don’t know what I’m going to do without her. Oh, it’s the most awful thing in my whole life. I can’t stand it. I really can’t.”

Overwhelmed with Ashley’s red hair, beads, and tears, Charlie was surprised to discover a plate of pumpkin pie in his hands. Someone reached over his shoulder and squirted on a dollop of whipped cream from an aerosol can. Brad took him by the elbow and led him into the room where they had been laboring the day of Esther’s death. Ashley’s father and Cody accompanied them, admiring the fine handiwork.

“We’re going green,” Brad said. “I told Ashley I couldn’t handle that yellow, so she agreed to change it. Sagebrush green. I’ve got the floor tile coming in on Wednesday, so we’ll need to repaint before we can lay that. What do you think, Mr. Moore? It would help me a lot if you’d trim out the room.”

Charlie nodded, trying to imagine himself standing on a ladder with a brush and a can of green paint. Things had been so different such a short time ago. Yellow paint. A search for the stuffing recipe. And Esther. Alive, laughing, making plans.

Before Charlie could slip into a daze of shattered memories, though, he realized that his plate of pumpkin pie, only half eaten, had been taken away. Cody was ushering him out to the golf cart again. Ashley made one last dash—enveloping Charlie in sobs, necklaces, wails of despair—and then Brad pulled her away.

“Patsy Pringle is last on the list,” Cody told Charlie as they rode along. “We’re having coffee with her and Pete Roberts. Even though I don’t like coffee, not even decaf, I’m going with you. Patsy said she’ll make tea for me. She’s not sure she can get through Fridays anymore without Esther’s usual set-and-style, but Pete said he would take her over to the Pop-In for a latte and a cinnamon roll. She said that wouldn’t do any good and it would make her fat besides. I don’t think Patsy’s too fat, do you?”

Charlie drank in the crisp evening air. “I believe Esther told me the correct word is
ample
. I’d call her curvy.”

“Yeah.” Cody chuckled. “I used to get
ample
and
apple
mixed up.
Curvy
is a better word. Patsy works really hard on her hair and nails, and she worries about her figure all the time. But I don’t see why. Everyone loves her just the way she is. Like her sign. Just As I Am. That’s how Patsy loves people, but she doesn’t know they love her back the same way.”

“I never thought of that.”

“Mr. Moore, there are lots of things I never thought of. In fact, I believe I’ll never think of everything that can be thought. One thing I do think, though, is that Mrs. Moore was really glad about her life. She loved her Friday set-and-style. She loved the TLC. She loved all her friends. Most of all, she loved you. If you think about it, you’ll know that for sure.”

Pulling the golf cart into Patsy’s driveway, Charlie felt the tears trickling down his cheeks again. He wondered if he would ever be able to stop crying about Esther. It had been such a shock. So unexpected. And yet, in some small place in his heart, he had known this would happen. He could see it coming, and he tried to stop it. But Cody was right. Esther had been glad about her life, and Charlie knew she had loved him most of all.

“We have to pretend that we don’t know Patsy loves Pete,” Cody said as they walked up to the front door. “Pretending feels like lying, doesn’t it? I’m not good at pretending. Or keeping secrets.”

“Hey there,” Patsy greeted them, opening the door and welcoming Charlie and Cody into her living room. “I was about to give up on you. Pete and I are ready to float away, we’ve drunk so much coffee.”

“We were progressing,” Cody said.

“Well, progress right on in here and sit yourselves down on the couch. Pete, scoot over to that chair, would you? I’m going to get the tea. Charlie, do you want tea or coffee?”

He thought for a moment. “Tea. The way Esther drank it.”

Cody walked across the room to Pete’s chair, bent over, and peered into the man’s face. “Why do you look scared, Pete? What’s wrong with you?”

“Go sit down,” Pete said, prodding the young man toward the sofa. “Sit by Charlie.”

“Your face is different,” Cody remarked as he obeyed. Plopping down too close to Charlie, he crossed his arms. “This is supposed to be Thanksgiving Day, but everywhere we go, something isn’t right. At Charlie’s house, Esther is gone. At the Hansens’ house, Jennifer won’t talk to me. At the Finleys’ house, Kim is pregnant, which is a secret I wasn’t supposed to tell but it’s too late now. At the Haneses’ house, Ashley burned the pumpkin pie, and Brad is making her paint the room green. And you look weird, Pete.”

“Pete looks weird?” Patsy sashayed into the room bearing a tray with mugs of hot tea and coffee. She giggled. “Weirder than usual?”

“Hey now,” Pete protested.

“Here’s your tea, Charlie,” Patsy said. “Cody, you’re so close to Mr. Moore that you’re about to sit on his lap. You’ve got the whole couch to yourselves. Remember what Brenda said about paying attention to other people’s private space? You’re in Charlie’s space.”

“Okay.” Cody glanced at Charlie. “I’m sorry, Mr. Moore. I forgot about private space. That’s one of my worst social skills. Also telling secrets. And mixing up words. I interrupt, too.”

Charlie smiled. “That’s all right, son. I’ve messed up a few things in my life too.”

“I would feel a lot better if Jennifer would talk to me. Or even look at me. I don’t know what I did, but I have a feeling—”

“Stop.” Pete stood and held up his hands as if he were a traffic cop. “Stop talking, Cody. Don’t anyone say another word. I’ve waited all day for this, and I’m not going to wait another minute. It’s my turn to talk, and this is what I have to say.”

Charlie blinked as Pete took a step in his direction.

“Mr. Moore, you and your wife have meant a lot to me,” Pete said. He swallowed hard. “A whole lot. See, I never had much of a father. My mother didn’t do too well either. I botched up two marriages, and I had about decided the whole business was nothing but a bunch of hooey. And then I moved to Deepwater Cove and met you and Esther. I saw the two of you at church. I watched you drive your wife to Patsy’s for her hair appointments. I studied you at the Fourth of July picnic. And I looked on as you circled the neighborhood in the Thanksgiving parade just the other night. I was amazed at how you treated your wife, Charlie. I never met such an honorable, upright fellow in my life. And the way she looked at you made me feel things I never felt before. That’s why I wanted to do this in front of you. I hope it’s the right thing, and I’d like to ask for your help along the way, if I might.”

Charlie wanted to speak, but he wasn’t sure he knew what to say. What did Pete mean? What was he going to do?

“Patsy Pringle,” Pete said, turning to the woman and dropping down on one knee, “I’m not worth a plugged nickel, and I know that. But I love you more than I ever loved anyone or anything in my whole life. If I can be half the husband Charlie was to Esther, I’d consider myself a great success. So with that as my challenge, I want to ask you to marry me. Will you marry me, Patsy? If you’re not interested, that’s all right. I realize I’m no bargain, and—”

Patsy put her hand over Pete’s mouth. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she replaced her fingers with a kiss. “Yes, Pete Roberts. I will marry you.”

With a whoop of joy, he leaped to his feet and swept Patsy up in his arms. “You will? Did you really say yes to me, girl? Oh, Lord, thank You! Thank You for answering my prayers!”

“And mine!” Patsy sang out.

“Yours, too?”

“Oh yes, honey. Once I knew I loved you, I hoped and prayed you’d ask.”

“What’s going on?” Cody turned to Charlie, a look of wonder on his face. “Is Patsy going to get married to Pete?”

“She sure is,” Charlie said.

“Mr. Moore, you’ve gotta help me.” Pete was suddenly down on his knees in front of Charlie. “I don’t think I can do it right. I’m afraid I’ll mess up.”

“You’ll be fine.”

“But will you help me? Can I ask you for advice?”

“I reckon so.” Charlie nodded. “Might as well.”

As Pete and Patsy snuggled up together in a love seat, Cody settled on the carpet at their feet. “I helped make invitations for Jessica’s wedding,” the young man said. “I tied on the apricot ribbons. I could make your invitations. Am I invited? Are you going to have nuts and a guest book? I think I might make a good usher by the time you get married. I’m going to be an usher at Jessica’s wedding, and I’ll get a lot of practice there.”

Charlie leaned back on the sofa, sipped his tea, and thought about Esther.

“Cody,” Patsy said, “you’re in our space. Go sit by Charlie.”

EPILOGUE

I
’m glad you’re up and about this bright Monday morning,” Bitty Sondheim said as she took the chair across from Charlie. “Hope you don’t mind if I join you outside. I need a break from the breakfast crowd.”

“Not too nippy for your California blood?” he asked.

“I’m getting used to this autumn weather—though I guess it’s probably about time to buy a pair of real shoes. Sandals and socks aren’t going to get me through the winter. I can see that already.”

Bitty’s smile was warm, and Charlie noted that the freckles on her cheeks were growing more visible as her suntan faded. Her long braid was as blonde as ever.

“How’s that breakfast wrap?” She propped her elbows on the bistro table and studied the meal in its parchment envelope. “I put in a little extra cheese for you today.”

“Your omelets always start me off right, Bitty.”

“I’m buying my eggs locally now. Nothing like fresh eggs for a hearty omelet.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

As Charlie sipped a cup of hot coffee, he waited for Bitty to comment about the events of the past week. Though Esther had been gone only a few days, he had already learned to dread the awkward moment. Some people tried to be far too chipper:
“Esther’s funeral was lovely. It was wonderful to see Charles Jr. and Ellie looking so good. What a beautiful casket you chose.”
Others assumed solemn expressions and poured their grief all over Charlie—as if he didn’t have enough of his own. Finally, there were those who avoided him completely. They didn’t know what to say, and he didn’t know how to respond anyway.

“So, how was your weekend?” Bitty asked.

“Hard. I didn’t sleep much. Couldn’t eat.”

“I suspected that.”

Charlie took another sip of coffee, surprised at Bitty’s refreshing, matter-of-fact tone. And suddenly, for some reason, he felt like talking. “I thought I’d cried all the tears I had in me. But this morning they started up again.”

Bitty pushed her braid over her shoulder. “I doubt there’s an end to tears. Mine seem to come from a bottomless well.”

“You told me you’ve had some sadness in the past.”

“My own kind. Not the same as yours.”

“Still. It hurts.” He studied the thicket of leafless trees across the highway from the row of shops. “You said you ran away.”

“Yes, but it didn’t help. Moving to Missouri changed the scenery but not the heart.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“I am.”

She propped her feet on the extra chair at the table. Charlie watched the breeze lift a wisp of golden hair and dance it across her forehead.

“I thought I might quit,” he told her. He set the omelet wrapper on the table. “For a while this weekend, I could see how it might happen. I would sit in my recliner with Boofer, and gradually we’d fade right out.”

“But here you are this morning,” she said. “I’m glad you didn’t quit.”

“I realized I couldn’t. I’m tangled. Tangled up with people. I think Esther did that to me on purpose.” For a moment, Charlie reflected on his wife and the neighbors she had loved so dearly. “You know, Bitty, you may be the only person in Deepwater Cove who doesn’t need me.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that.”

“At least you’re not asking me to run the grill or mop your floor, though to tell you the truth, I wouldn’t mind. This afternoon, Jennifer Hansen is coming over to talk to me. What words of wisdom can I offer a fine young lady like her? Tomorrow, I’ve got to walk through Miranda Finley’s new house and help her figure out where to put her furniture. Wednesday morning, I’ll be expected at the men’s Bible study, and Brad’s got a load of floor tile coming that afternoon. We have to paint the new room sagebrush green. After that, I’m supposed to help the movers place Miranda’s stuff. And then there’s Pete.”

“I hear Patsy told him yes.”

“And I told him yes too.” Charlie was surprised to hear himself chuckle. “Pete thinks I can help him be a good husband. If only he knew how many mistakes I made. How hard it was. What a long, difficult … wonderful … amazing journey.”

Bitty smiled. “And yet, how very well you did it.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

The principles and strategies illustrated in this novel are taken from
The Four Seasons of Marriage
by Gary Chapman. In this book, Dr. Chapman discusses marriage as a journey back and forth through different “seasons.”