The Bluebird and the Sparrow (8 page)

But he still had little ways of unknowingly bringing her sorrow. Like the time he brought her a simple bouquet of fresh spring lilacs. And the time he returned from a trip with a lace-trimmed hankie.

“I thought maybe you had lost all your others,” he quipped, reminding her of their first introduction.

Berta flushed.

Parker was always doing thoughtful little things for their mother as well. He took her for Sunday outings along with Glenna. He offered to take Berta along too, but she always found some reason to be excused.

And he brought fancy chocolates and colorful cottons for embroidery work and even little jokes and amusing stories that he clipped from newspapers. It would have been hard for Mrs. Berdette to find anything wrong with Parker Oliver.

“I would like the pleasure of taking my three favorite ladies out for dinner next Saturday night,” Parker announced one Thursday as he was about to take his leave.

Glenna flushed her pleasure, the deep dimple showing in each cheek.

Mrs. Berdette looked up from her sewing, her eyes taking on a special shine.

“That would be lovely. Thank you,” she replied.

Parker turned his eyes to Berta.

“I—I’m not sure. I might—”

“Please,” Parker surprised her by pleading. “I would so much like it to be a family dinner.”

And you fully intend to put an end to our family,
was her unspoken retort.

“Please, Berta,” begged Glenna, moving up beside her and slipping an arm around her waist. “Please—this once.”

“I’ll … see,” said Berta.

That was as close to a promise as she would come.

————

Try as she might, Berta could find no good reason to refuse to accompany the family to the local hotel for dinner. She both looked forward to a night out and dreaded the event.

He’s going to ask Mama for permission to marry, I just know it,
she told herself.
Glenna finishes school next month.

Parker’s buggy drew up to the front hitching rail promptly at six, the agreed time, and the three ladies were at the door ready to meet him. He let his gaze travel from one to another.

“How lovely you look,” he said with sincerity, including more than Glenna in his comment. “I will be the envy of every gentleman in town tonight.”

Glenna smiled on her mother and sister and took Parker’s proffered arm. “You tease,” she laughed, “but we love it.”

Each lady was carefully handed up into the buggy, and then they were off. In spite of her dark mood, Berta found herself enjoying the drive into town.

They were escorted into the hotel dining room by the attendant and seated at a table with fine white linen and gleaming silver.

“My,” exclaimed Mrs. Berdette in appreciation, “I wasn’t aware that we had such elegant dining in our town. It’s been years since I’ve sat at such a table.”

Parker did not bother to explain that he had made special arrangements at his father’s hotel.

Berta’s eyes grew larger with each course of the meal.
What an awful lot of trouble to go to just to impress a girl’s family before asking for her hand in marriage,
she thought to herself.
Well, it will do little to sway me.

And she steeled herself for what she was sure would come.

But the evening continued with no mention made of upcoming wedding plans. Parker included all three of them in his lively conversation, bringing laughter with his amusing tales and good-humored comments.

The evening passed much more quickly than any of the three would have liked. Before she knew it, Berta was being escorted from the dining room with its glowing candles and reflecting mirrors.

“This has been a delightful evening,” Mrs. Berdette exclaimed sincerely.

“We must do it again,” said Parker. “Soon.”

So he is going to wait until we get home before he states his intention?
thought Berta.
That’s really not very sporting of him. What are we to say after being plied with veal cutlets and fresh peach pie?

But Parker did not even invite himself in when they reached the house. Glenna did. “Aren’t you stopping?” she asked sweetly when he seemed to be saying his good-night at the door.

“Not tonight,” he answered her. “I’ll be by to pick you up for church in the morning.”

They all expressed their thanks and moved on into the living room after Parker took his leave.

“What a fine young man,” her mother exclaimed as she drew off her gloves.

“Isn’t he wonderful?” said Glenna, her eyes full of love. “I am just so—so blessed.”

Berta frowned and went to poke in the fireplace. The flame had gone out, but it was warm enough in the evenings now that they didn’t need it. She had no intention of building the fire again. Still she poked. And as she poked she puzzled. What had the evening been all about? Certainly it had been—enjoyable. A special treat for three women who rarely got out. But what had it really been about?

She was still shaking her head in puzzlement as she went to her room to remove her best gown and put on her robe.

Little girl,
she mentally addressed her young sister,
you are far more blessed than you even know.

————

The question was eventually asked. Parker chose to talk with Mrs. Berdette in private before he took Glenna out for another special dinner. Berta was let in on the secret, but Glenna was totally unsuspecting.

“She thinks it is simply a birthday dinner,” Mrs. Berdette confided to Berta, and she beamed at the thought of the pleasure ahead for her younger daughter.

Berta tossed her head. “Surely she’s not such a simpleton as that,” she exclaimed. “Everyone else in town has smelled it coming for months.”

“Glenna is sweetly naïve,” her mother contended.

Berta let the comment pass.

“So how long is he willing to wait?” she asked her mother.

“Not long, I’m afraid. He wishes to be married in August.”

“August! That hardly gives us time to prepare,” protested Berta.

“Time enough,” said her mother.

“Why is he in such a rush?” demanded Berta.

“He plans to start classes in the fall.”

“Classes. For what?”

“You don’t know? I thought everyone knew. He’s going to be a doctor.”

Berta stared, openmouthed. Why hadn’t she been told? Even Glenna had said nothing about such plans.

“You didn’t know?” asked Mrs. Berdette again.

“No. No, I didn’t know,” replied Berta. Then added quickly. “Did Glenna?”

Mrs. Berdette looked up quickly, her hand with the needle and trailing thread stilled. “Of course,” she replied. “But I think Glenna expected him to finish his training before he considered marriage.”

“And why doesn’t he?” asked Berta tartly.

“He’ll have to go away for the training. They don’t teach medicine at our little university here in Allsburg.”

“Go away?” Berta didn’t like that thought. “Why doesn’t he go alone and leave Glenna here—until he’s finished?”

Mrs. Berdette let the question go unanswered for a while. At last she spoke. “Glenna is a beautiful girl,” she said honestly. “I don’t think any man would be comfortable taking a chance on waiting.”

“Just because she’s—she’s pretty doesn’t mean she needs to be fickle,” replied Berta, her tone sharp.

“Fickle? Glenna?” Mrs. Berdette laughed softly. “Glenna couldn’t be fickle if she put her whole mind to it,” she said. Then she continued. “I’ve always been so thankful to God that she didn’t get spoiled. With all the attention she has constantly had—she didn’t let it go to her head. I used to pray and pray—asking God for wisdom in raising her—asking for her heart to be kept pure—her mind free from conceit.”

Her eyes were moist with unshed tears.

“Well, He has answered me,” she continued. “Abundantly. I’ve never met a sweeter, more giving person in my life. Her father would be so proud of his little girl.”

Berta stirred uneasily. All the praise for Glenna made her totally uncomfortable. All the things her mother was declaring Glenna to be, Berta knew that she, herself, was not. No wonder her mother had always favored Glenna.

Yes, it was true. Berta had never brought it to the forefront of her mind before. But her mother clearly and unapologetically favored the younger girl.

“How will you ever get along without her?” she asked, letting sarcasm color her words.

Mrs. Berdette looked up. “I won’t get along without her,” she replied simply. “She’ll still be my daughter. I’ll just finally be blessed with a son.”

“Humph!” snorted Berta. “We’ll see,” and she rose to her feet and hastily escaped the room.

Chapter Eight

Moving On

The morning of August tenth dawned clear and bright.
Glenna’s wedding day
was the first thought that entered Berta’s mind as her eyes opened.

“Mama prayed for a beautiful day,” said an excited voice from across the room.

Glenna stood at the open window, her long dark hair tumbling about her shoulders, her hand sweeping back the curtain.

“Didn’t you?” mumbled Berta in return.

“Oh no,” said Glenna, turning slightly. “I wouldn’t have dared to—to be so selfish. God has given me so much already.”

“Then, I guess you should be thankful for Mama’s prayers,” Berta retorted and swung her feet over the side of her bed and into the waiting slippers.

Glenna only sighed and let the curtain drop back into place.

“Berta—” she began.

Berta did not look her way. She went to the dressing table that they shared, lifted her brush, and began to stroke the tangles from her long hair.

In the mirror she could see her sister’s reflection. She was standing with a bemused look on her pretty face, studying the ring on her finger.

“I am so—blessed,” she said at last, but Berta didn’t know if she was speaking to her or to herself. “So very blessed. Imagine me—marrying the—the most sought-after young man in town.”

Her head swung up, and she clearly began addressing her comments to Berta.

“He is so—so wonderful. Everything about him is so wonderful. I—I feel like—Cinderella.”

“Well, Cinderella,” said Berta dryly, “if you don’t get out of your flannel and into that new dress, you’re going to miss the ball.”

Glenna giggled. “Oh, Berta,” she exclaimed, “I’m going to miss your—your crazy sense of humor.”

And Glenna crossed impulsively to her older sister and gave her a warm hug.

It caught Berta totally by surprise. They were not used to sharing intimate moments. There was nothing she could do but return the embrace, and as her arms enclosed the shoulders of the younger girl she suddenly realized that she was going to miss Glenna as well.

Who would be her champion? Who would make her laugh with her bubbling stories of school mishaps? Who would sense her every mood and respond to it with love and understanding?

Berta fought back the tears, then released Glenna and pushed her back from the embrace. “I’m going to put on the coffee,” she said in an impatient tone. “You’d best get yourself dressed. We have plenty to do today.”

Mrs. Berdette was already in the kitchen. There was much to get done in preparation for the meal that would follow the wedding service. Berta knew it would take all three of them scurrying about all morning to accomplish the tasks.

“Is Glenna awake?” asked her mother.

“Awake—and swooning,” replied Berta, not looking her mother’s way.

“No wonder,” replied Mrs. Berdette, and Berta could tell from the sound of her voice that she was smiling.

“What a lovely couple they make,” her mother went on. “She’s so beautiful and he’s so handsome. They will be so happy.”

“I didn’t know that one’s degree of happiness was determined by how one looks,” mumbled Berta as she set the coffeepot to boil.

Mrs. Berdette looked up quickly. “Oh, Berta,” she said with a hint of impatience. “I didn’t mean that, and you know it.”

Berta was silent for a moment as she went for the bread to make toast.

“Still,” she said to her mother, “there is truth to it. It was Glenna’s—’prettiness’ that got her the most prized man in town. And I daresay it was his good looks that drew her attention.”

She saw the expression on her mother’s face and knew she wished to deny the statement—yet in her honesty could not.

“But it—” began Mrs. Berdette.

“Doesn’t seem too fair,” continued Berta. “What about us plain people? What chance do we have?”

“You’re far from plain, dear,” her mother answered.

Berta did not even reply to the remark. She was plain and she knew it. Only a mother would argue against that fact.

Berta was about to speak again when the bride-to-be appeared in a burst of Glenna-energy and a wealth of glowing smiles.

“Mama,” she said before she even got through the door, “thank you for your prayers. Look at this glorious day.”

Mrs. Berdette put down the pan in her hand and reached out her arms to her younger daughter.

Berta went back to her toast making.

———

Even Berta had to admit it was a beautiful wedding. Glenna was glowing and more lovely than ever, and Berta heard many comments from the gathered crowd concerning that fact. “And so sweet, too,” people often as not would add.

“And he’s so handsome. They do make a stunning couple, don’t they?” the talk went on.

Berta moved away from the voices, her thoughts churning. It didn’t seem fair that what happened to one in life was governed by how favored one had been in good looks. Glenna had won Parker. Yet hadn’t she, Berta, seen him first? Hadn’t he smilingly handed her back her retrieved hankie? But he would have never taken a second look her way, she was sure. She wasn’t pretty like Glenna.

She shrugged her shoulders and moved on to check the tables. The food seemed to be evaporating into thin air as the long line of guests moved past to fill their plates.

Without thinking Berta put her hand up to touch her hair, making sure that the tight knob was securely fastened. She was glad she hadn’t succumbed and worn it looser and soft about her face. It would be “giving in” to society. Trying to be “pretty” to match its demands. She had no intention of yielding. She would fight the unfair system until the day she died.