Summer Breeze (25 page)

“All
except
Jesus.”

Brenda laid a hand on her daughter’s arm. “Jennifer. Let’s talk about something else. Why don’t you tell everyone our news. You know … about your sister.”

“Jessica’s getting married,” Jennifer muttered, and in the next breath, “Mrs. Finley, Jesus instructed His followers to go out into the world and make disciples of everyone. When you or anyone else wants to deny Christians the right to try to convert people, then you deny us the practice of our religion. And that’s discrimination.”

“Well, but I—”

“If you truly accepted Christianity, Mrs. Finley, you wouldn’t object to my desire to teach tribal people in New Guinea about my faith, because you would understand that evangelism is an essential part of Christianity. Christ was very clear about that.”

For a moment, everyone at the table sat in silence. And then Cody began to clap. “Yay, Jennifer,” he said. “That was a long speech about Jesus. I liked it. I thought it was good. You’re the best Christian I ever met.”

All the time Cody was speaking, Patsy was frantically trying to think of something to say that would divert the conversation away from religion. She briefly thought of asking about Jessica’s upcoming wedding. But the truth was, Patsy liked what Jennifer had said, and she admired the way the girl had spoken without the least bit of hesitation. So instead of inquiring about the Hansen engagement, she heard herself echoing Cody.

“You sure are going to make a good missionary, honey,” she told Jennifer. “I don’t know the last time I heard such conviction from anyone but a preacher. No wonder you’re going out into the world. I doubt that wild horses could keep you here in Deepwater Cove.”

“But Deepwater Cove has plenty of people who need missionaries,” Cody spoke up. “People like Mrs. Finley, who dances on the deck in her bathing suit. She worships idols, and that’s against the Ten Commandments, so she definitely needs a missionary.” He turned to Miranda. “You should come to church with us and find out what it’s like there. If you did, you would know that one day idols shall be utterly abolished. ‘And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats; to go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty.’ Isaiah 2:19-21. Right, Jennifer?”

All eyes at the table turned to the young woman, who was gazing across the room with an odd expression on her face.

“Patsy, why are there five pictures of me on your wall?” she asked, pointing at Cody’s mural. “Right over there. Five of them. That’s me, isn’t it?”

Cody grinned. “I painted them,” he said. “I put beautiful ladies on the wall to show off lots of hairstyles.”

Jennifer looked at him. “But the faces all look like mine. Don’t they? Does anyone else see that?”

Thank goodness, at just this particular moment, Esther got up and began tapping the side of her tea glass with a spoon. “Ladies, ladies,” she said loudly before Cody could whistle them into silence. Then she beamed at the young man. “Ladies
and gentleman
, welcome to today’s gathering of the Tea Lovers’ Club. We’re thrilled to have so many in attendance on a hot afternoon. Before we return to our tea and conversation, let me just recap our old business and mention one thing new.”

Esther reached into her purse for her little notebook, and Patsy took the opportunity for a quick glance around the table. It was not a comforting sight. Jennifer was staring at the paintings of herself on the salon wall. Miranda was glaring at Jennifer. Kim was frowning at Miranda. Brenda was eyeing Cody. And Cody was downing the last of Patsy’s lemon bar.

“There isn’t much old business to report,” Esther said. “It’s been a glorious summer so far. All the yards look lovely, and we ought to especially recognize Brenda Hansen, who planted red, white, and blue annuals in a tribute to our great country. As we’ve said before, the Fourth of July barbecue was a stellar event. The commons area and the streets were lined with nearly a hundred small flags generously donated by Ashley Hanes, courtesy of the country club. Opal provided a relish tray and several apple pies, which delighted everyone. We had more salads and side dishes than we could eat. The pork steaks were delicious, and a good time was had by all. Well … it looks like that’s about it. Is there any other old business to report?”

When no one spoke, Esther charged on. “Then let’s get down to new business. I propose we have another Deepwater Cove gathering for Labor Day weekend. How about Sunday after church? It’ll still be warm enough for the kids to swim, but we could add a fishing contest at the docks. I was thinking about a hayride, but Charlie says it’s too early for that. We definitely want to honor the working men and women among us, so I was thinking about a parade.”

“Brad wouldn’t march in a parade to save his life,” Ashley said. “I’m not too crazy about it either. Would you and Steve march in a parade, Brenda?”

“I doubt that’s exactly Steve’s idea of fun,” Brenda said of her real estate agent husband. “Maybe the barbecue, fishing contest, and swimming would be enough, Esther.”

The self-elected chairwoman of the TLC folded her hands and looked down at her notebook. “Well, if that’s how you feel about it  …,” she said, her voice trailing off. “I always loved a parade.”

“A raid?” Opal spoke up. “When? I never heard any sirens.”

Patsy knew everyone was thinking the same thing—Opal wouldn’t hear sirens if they
did
start wailing.

“I have something to share,” Brenda said. “My youngest child, Jessica, has just gotten engaged. They haven’t set the wedding date, but I’m sure you’ll all be welcome.”

“Congratulations,” several women said.

“That Jessica is so pretty,” someone said. “Just like her sister.”

“I’m not a bit surprised some boy snapped her up,” another commented.

“I’d like to introduce some new business,” Miranda said, standing so suddenly that the table jiggled and tea sloshed out of the china cups. “Esther, may I please have the floor?”

“Why, certainly, Miranda. We’d love to hear what you have to say.”

For several hammering heartbeats, Patsy was afraid Miranda intended to expound on her theory that all paths led to God. Or maybe she wanted to defend her decision to put Buddha out on the Finleys’ deck. But then she smiled warmly and turned to the table where she’d been sitting.

“Cody,” she said gently, “I want to announce that I have found your aunt.”

A gasp went up from the entire gathering. And then everyone fell silent. Cody stared straight ahead, looking at no one, blinking rapidly.

Finally, Miranda spoke again. “Marylou Annette Goss lives in western Kansas. She’s your father’s sister. I have spoken with her by phone, Cody. A long time ago, before you were born, your father became estranged from his family, and they never spoke or had any contact after that. Your aunt Marylou had no idea what had become of your father.”

Patsy reached under the table, found Cody’s hand, and wrapped hers around it. He still wasn’t moving, so she gave his hand a little squeeze. “It’s a big shocker, isn’t it, sweetie pie?” she murmured. “How about that? Mrs. Finley found your aunt, just like you wanted.”

“I know,” he said. “I heard what she said.”

Miranda smiled. “I propose that the members of the Tea Lovers’ Club take up a collection to buy a bus ticket for Cody. In fact, I’ve already looked into it. I can put him on the bus in St. Louis, and his aunt will pick him up in Garden City, Kansas. From there, she’ll drive him toward the Colorado border to the town where she lives.” Miranda beamed at everyone as she seated herself again.

Patsy slipped her arm around Cody’s shoulders. “Sounds like you turned up a lot of stuff when you were looking for Cody’s family. I guess his aunt must be pretty excited to see him.”

Miranda took a sip of tea. “Well, of course,” she said. “She didn’t even know he existed. I’m sure she’ll enjoy him as much as we all do.”

“Maybe not, if she finds out I’m kind of dumb,” Cody said.

Jennifer leaned against him. “No way, Cody! You just quoted more Scripture than most of us have ever memorized.”

“Your aunt Marylou didn’t know your mother and father had passed away,” Miranda said. “Mr. Goss didn’t contact his family after Cody’s mother died. He must have simply decided to take Cody and leave.”

“We went a lot of places,” Cody put in.

“Marylou told me she’s always wondered what became of her brother.”

Deciding it was time to change the subject, Patsy gave Cody a little hug. “Oh, my stars, my cup is dry as a bone. Cody, honey, would you mind getting me some more tea?”

He looked around the table, his blue eyes settling on Jennifer for a moment before he rose and headed for the hot-water urn.

As Miranda turned to Esther, Patsy noticed that the older woman’s eyes had filled with tears.

Esther slipped her agenda notebook into her purse and pulled out a tissue. Dabbing her eyes, she nodded. “I think that’s a wonderful idea,” she said, sniffling loudly. “If Cody’s aunt wants him to come … and if Cody wants to be with family … well then …” She gulped. “Well, let’s all pitch in and make this farewell a send-off to remember.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

W
here are the candles?” Frowning, Kim rummaged through a drawer in the kitchen. “I always keep plenty of birthday candles on hand.”

“In the pantry!” Miranda sang out as she hurried through the kitchen bearing a bowl of cheesy popcorn. “I reorganized the baking supplies for you, Kim. I hope you don’t mind, but that drawer you had them in was a shambles. I put everything in a lovely wicker basket on the top shelf.”

Kim gritted her teeth and hurried to the pantry. No, she would not get angry. Not on this special day. A party day. A day of celebration, thankfulness, and sweet good-byes. Kim had every reason to smile. The twins were turning eleven, Cody was going to meet his long-lost aunt in Kansas, and Kim was determined to focus on her blessings instead of her woes.

True, Miranda was still staying in the Finley house and evidently would be forever. Derek had not uttered a word about the plan he had confided to Lydia that evening on the porch. So Kim told herself she still did not “officially” know that her mother-in-law wouldn’t be leaving with the start of school. But she had decided to try to keep her thoughts to herself in order to keep peace in the home. She had suppressed the hurt and anger that Derek’s decision—and his refusal to communicate with her—had caused.

In looking back on her own childhood, Kim could recall few good things to be thankful for—but adaptability was one. She couldn’t count the times her mother had moved the family from town to town, house to apartment, man to man. People had come and gone from their lives all the time, and Kim understood the anguish Lydia had expressed to Derek on the porch. A fragmented, constantly shifting family group unsettled and frightened children. Kim knew that too well, and she was not about to put her twins through any more upheaval than they’d experienced already. But her own difficult life had taught her to adjust, to make the most of each situation, to search for blessings. And that’s what she would do in order to protect her precious family.

Just when Kim heard the twins’ feet pounding toward the kitchen, she found the birthday candles in a basket in the pantry. Ten minutes earlier, she had sent Luke and Lydia running to Charlie and Esther Moore’s house to fetch Cody—anything to keep the rambunctious pair out of the kitchen—and they were already back.

“Eleven!” she said, poking candles into the cake as the twins breathlessly burst into the room. “Eleven years old. Yay, Luke and Lydia!”

Lydia danced around the room while her brother bounced up and down on his toes.

“I hope I get a skateboard; I hope I get a skateboard,” Luke chanted.

“How soon till everyone else gets here?” Lydia asked. “I can’t wait!”

“Any time now. Where’s Cody?”

“On the deck with Mr. and Mrs. Moore. They followed us in their golf cart.”

“Good job. Luke, I know you saved up all your carbs. Have you checked your blood sugar recently?”

“Yeah, and it’s just right so I can eat cake and ice cream.”

Kim smiled proudly. “I knew you’d figure it out. Okay, kids, run and open the front door for the rest of the guests.”

“You made an eleven cake, Mom!” Lydia crowed before racing away after her brother. “Did you see it, Lukey? We’re eleven! We’re eleven!”

Kim couldn’t deny how pleased she was about the large
11
she had crafted out of a pair of chocolate cake mixes. Each year since the twins’ birth, she had created a cake in the shape of their age. This year, the double
1
’s iced in chocolate fudge and sprinkled with nuts were large enough to feed all the kids’ friends and Cody’s well-wishers, too. It would be a big group, but Kim was prepared.

“The deck table is set and ready for company,” Miranda announced as she breezed back into the kitchen. “And just look at the cars pulling up along the street. Where is that son of mine? He should be home by now.”

“Derek often has last-minute phone calls or paperwork. He’ll be here soon.”

“Paperwork? How can that be more important than his family? Especially on birthdays! I used to tell his father the same thing—family first. Eric was always off on some photographic safari, you know. But when he came home, I made it clear that his wife and son got top priority.”

Kim took two cartons of ice cream out of the freezer—one sugar-free—and carried them to the counter. “I hadn’t realized Eric was gone so much.”

“Oh yes. The Himalayan mountains in Tibet, a volcano in Hawaii, the Rift Valley in eastern Africa. Weeks at a time. Sometimes months. It’s a wonder Derek recognized his father when he came home. If I’d had any idea that marrying an internationally renowned photographer would turn me into a single mother, well … well, I would have married him anyway.”