The Fragrance of Geraniums (A Time of Grace Book 1) (17 page)

“You must come
by again, dear, when I’m up on my feet,” Mrs. Kinner encouraged. And she looked
as if she truly wished it!

“Alright,” Grace
heard herself saying.

“Good!” Mrs.
Kinner smiled, her hands smoothing the quilt.

Standing there
on that porch, without warning, Grace believed that she had found a real
friend, though it seemed brazen to even think that of this kind, lovely woman –
that she would want to be Grace’s friend! “Goodbye,” she said, backing away a
few steps.

“Good-bye, dear.
Come again soon!” The voice echoed in Grace’s head as she ran the entire
remaining half-mile home. She didn’t even realize until she’d arrived that the
rubber bands had broken off both her shoes.

A
week after Grace
refused to let him walk her home anymore, Paulie decided it was high time to discuss
the situation with his father.
He always gives good advice,
he assured
his anxious mind as he joined Dad at the dinner table.

After the usual
surface bits and pieces of chatter, Paulie brought up Grace, a little nervously.
Taking a bite of broccoli, Dad listened as Paulie carefully described his
interactions with her.

“I know I’ve had
crushes in the past, Dad,” he finished, “but I’ve never…
liked
someone
so much as I like Grace. I’m just not sure what to do about it because it seems
like she’s suspicious of all of my approaches toward her. She even took her
books back the other day. I was walking her home – though she never lets me
bring her all the way to her house – and she suddenly got all funny and grabbed
them.”

Paulie shook his
head, so confused. “I’m just not sure what to do. Is it wrong for me to like Grace
so much? When she obviously wants nothing to do with me?” He raised his eyes to
look at Dad. He hoped there would be no censure in Dad’s gaze.

And there
wasn’t. Dad ran his index finger over the rim of his water glass, apparently
searching for the right words. “If it’s meant to be, it’ll be, son, without you
forcing it,” Dad stated finally, taking a sip of his water. “But I’d like your
promise in this matter on two accounts.”

Something in
Dad’s tone demanded Paulie’s full attention… which Dad had anyway. He looked his
father straight in the eyes. “What’s that?” Paulie asked.

“First, that you
don’t get serious about any girl who doesn’t love Jesus Christ. He must be the
foundation of the deep, lifelong relationship of marriage.” Dad hesitated,
waiting for Paulie’s agreement.

Paulie reddened.
“I wasn’t thinking of marriage, Dad. I’m only just seventeen.” He looked down
into his mug of hot cocoa, swirling with freshly-whipped cream.

Dad nodded. “I
know that. But for us as Christian men, that’s where serious relationships with
women should be headed. And, like you say, you and Grace are both a bit young
for that.” Dad smiled. “At least in our culture. And then there’s a second
thing.”

“What’s that,
Dad?”

“That you stay
open with me about how things are going with Grace so that I can keep praying
for you about it.”

Paulie sighed. “Well,
updating you sure won’t be a problem. There’s not going to be much to update
you on. Grace hasn’t spoken to me since that incident with her books. Other
than saying, ‘hi,’ you know,” he said, adding to himself,
When I say it
first, that is!

He glanced up to
see Dad giving him a sympathetic look. “Well, pray about it, Son. Like I said,
if it’s meant to be, you can trust your Heavenly Father to bring it to pass.
Right?”

“Right, Dad,”
Paulie agreed aloud and hoped that he really believed it.

“So I have your word
on those two things?” Dad interrupted Paulie’s thoughts.

Paulie nodded.
Dad always had Paulie’s best interest at heart; of this Paulie had no doubt.
“Yes, Dad,” he affirmed.

“Now, why don’t
you ask Grace to come around some time afterschool? You could play checkers or
ride bikes while the weather’s still good,” Dad suggested. “Mrs. McCusker will
be here, you know.”

Paulie blew out
a breath. “I already tried that. When I asked her to come out here to ride
bikes, she grabbed her books back and wouldn’t let me bring her the rest of the
way home.”

“Ask her to do
something else,” Dad advised.

Surprised,
Paulie raised his eyebrows. “I thought you said that I shouldn’t force it,
Dad?”

Dad grinned.
“Force it? No. But every real man should exhibit some perseverance, son.
Nothing wrong with putting feet to your faith.” Dad winked. “Right?”

Paulie felt a
slow smile growing on his lips. “Right.”

A
few days later,
Paulie felt that unusual pounding in his chest as the end-of-school bell rang.
His eyes found their way over to Grace Picoletti’s seat. She bent over, pulling
books from the metal shelf underneath her chair.
Come on, Giorgi,
he
sternly rebuked himself.
Get your act together. She’s just a girl, after
all.

Just the
loveliest, most interesting girl he’d ever laid eyes on, ever talked to.
Looking at Grace, Paulie felt relieved that he had spoken to Dad about her,
even though the Lord knew he’d felt a bit awkward about it.

She’s the bee’s knees,
alright!

He took a
deliberate breath to steady himself. Though his body might not cooperate,
Paulie felt peaceful in his heart, knowing that God would do His good will in
this… this
liking
he had for Grace.
Is it from You?
He’d asked
the question often this week in his morning prayer-time. And God didn’t seem to
be giving him a direct answer, but Paulie at least knew that he would trust in
the Lord in this little thing … and that he would, by God’s grace, keep the
promises he’s made to Dad.

His eyes
fastened on that golden head, Paulie rose to his feet, book gripped tightly in
his hands.

“S
o I told Henry
that there was no
way
I’d go with him to the movie-house, talkie or no
talkie,” Ruth Ann buzzed, picking up the conversation with Grace right where
she’d left off before class. Ruth Ann’s big eyes glowed with insinuation as she
leaned close to Grace.

Ruth Ann talks
so loud half the class could listen in if they wanted to.
Grace plucked up
her pencils and returned them to their case.

“You know what I
mean, Grace?” Ruth Ann asked. “Why would
I
go to the movie-house with
Henry
?”

The way she said
it, you’d think Henry had never washed a day in his life. Grace shrugged,
hesitant to voice an opinion. Henry had always seemed like a nice boy to her.
Of course, she didn’t know him too well, but she didn’t know any boy really
well. Though she wished she could have known one boy – Paulie - a little bit
better…

“Hey, what’s so
bad about Henry?”

Grace nearly
jumped. The familiar voice that Grace had missed hearing every day as she
walked home now came up right beside her. She hardly dared to look at him, sure
that he’d see the delight he’d caused just by appearing there by her side.
Grace,
have some self-control,
she admonished, schooling her features into
nonchalance before turning her eyes toward the speaker.

Wearing an
unguarded smile, Paulie stood waiting for a response from Ruth Ann, whose dark
eyes flashed at him for the interference.

“Pardon me,”
Ruth Ann said with a lofty tone, “but I don’t remember you being part of this
discussion, Paulie Giorgi.”

Paulie grinned.
“Nope, I guess not. But I couldn’t help but overhear what you said.”

“And what’s it
matter to you?” Ruth Ann asked, eyes narrowed. Grace held her breath; Ruth Ann
did
not
like being crossed.

Paulie raised
his chin, and when he spoke, his voice held not only firmness but kindness,
too. “Henry’s a good chum of mine, and I don’t like hearing him talked about
behind his back. If you’re going to say something bad about him, at least do it
outright, Ruth Ann. With some proof. So that’s why I asked you: What’s so bad
about Henry?”

Ruth Ann’s
pretty pink lips tightened. “Well, maybe you aren’t aware of this, but
I
certainly
am.” She leaned closer to Paulie and dropped her voice a fraction. “Last week, Lisa-Marie
saw Henry’s brother Michael
smooching
Marsha Thomasina in the back of
the movie-house!” She folded her arms across her chest. “Now do you think I’m
that kind of a girl? The kind who
smooches
at the picture show?”

Grace glanced at
Paulie.
Surely, now he’ll see that he was wrong to butt in.
Though she
had enjoyed every moment of his defense of Henry thus far.

Paulie tilted
his head to the side. “Thought you said Henry asked you to go, not his
brother?”

Ruth Ann
sniffed, fingers playing with her pearly sweater clip. “That’s right.”

“Well, why are
you judging Henry by hearsay of what his brother did?” Paulie asked. “I’m not
saying you should go to the picture show with him, Ruth Ann. I’m just saying
that you shouldn’t judge Henry by what his brother’s like. That’s all.”

I wonder if he
really means that? Would he mean it if he knew… knew what my family was like?
Would he judge me by them?
Hugging her small stack of textbooks, Grace waited
for Ruth Ann’s answer.

“And I’ll bet
you’re going to tell me that not judging Henry is
biblical
, aren’t you?”
Ruth Ann spat the word out. Grace thought that her friend’s glare could have roasted
a chicken.

Paulie grinned.
“Sure it is, Ruth Ann. Where would Abel or Seth be if God had judged them by
Cain’s actions?”

“Ugh!” Ruth Ann
groaned. “Here comes a Sunday School lesson.” She gave a final “humph” and
stalked out of the classroom, letting the door slam behind her.

With only a
little shyness, Grace met Paulie’s eyes. He had won a new respect from her.
Boys didn’t usually stand up to Ruth Ann. First off, they often wanted to get
on her good side because she was awfully pretty; and secondly, she had a
terrible temper and could hold a grudge longer than anyone else Grace knew. But
Paulie had believed what he’d said, that much shone clearly, and he wasn’t
afraid to take a little heat for it. Yet he had said what needed saying kindly,
without a hint of malice. Even Ben would have lashed Ruth Ann with his tongue.
What
makes Paulie different?

“Got chores to
do today?” he asked as the classroom emptied. He moved to pick up Grace’s
books. “May I?”

Despite the fear
that curled her toes, Grace nodded, albeit hesitantly. What harm really could
come from her letting him carry her books? She wouldn’t let him walk her any
farther than Mrs. Kinner’s house. Then, she would take her books back from him
and scurry home, quick as a lightening bug, through the wooded shortcut. After
all, she so much
wanted
to talk with Paulie.
You want his attention,
she rebuked herself. And she realized that she couldn’t deny it. Grace was glad
that she preceded Paulie out of the classroom so that he couldn’t observe the
prominent grin displayed on her face.

It seemed like
seconds had passed when Grace saw that they were already approaching Mrs.
Kinner’s house.
I’ll wait a little longer, and then I’ll visit her again.
Grace bit her lip at the sudden thought:
Maybe Mrs. Kinner was just trying
to be kind; maybe she doesn’t really want you to come again, Grace.
If that
was true, Grace surely didn’t want to humiliate herself by dropping by again.
Maybe
I’ll wait until she calls out to me again one day…

“Hey, I’ve gotta
stop off here,” Paulie interrupted her thoughts. They’d been walking in
slightly uncomfortable but pleasant silence for a couple of minutes. Only their
feet broke the quiet as they scuffled through the autumn leaves littering the
sidewalk.

They were at the
Kinners’ house. Surprised beyond words, Grace knew that her astonishment must
beam right off her face.

“It’s Mr. K.’s
house,” Paulie explained, obviously unaware that Grace already knew that. “Dad
said that Mrs. K. might want some company afterschool until Mr. K. got home.”

Paulie knows the
Kinners personally?
Grace stared at him wordlessly, then turned her gaze to the porch to see if
Mrs. Kinner reclined there on the chaise. But Grace didn’t see her.

“They go to our
church,” Paulie said, as if he had heard her silent question. “Mrs. K. had an
operation a few weeks ago – Dad did the surgery – and she’s still recovering.
The Kinners don’t have the money to hire a full-time nurse, so, from the time
the day-nurse leaves after lunch until when Mr. K. gets back from school, Mrs.
K. stays by herself.”

Grace nodded,
not sure how she felt about this connection between Paulie and the woman whom Grace
was beginning to think of as a friend, though she’d met her only once.

She was just
about to reach for her books when Paulie’s eyes lit up. “Hey, you want to come
inside and meet her? She’d like you a lot; I’m sure of it.”

Grace felt a
smile creep onto her face. “I already met Mrs. Kinner the other day.”

“You did?”
Paulie appeared astonished, but in a good way.

“Uh-huh. She was
layin’ out on the porch couch, and she called out for me to come get acquainted,”
Grace explained, enjoying the warmth of Paulie’s gaze on her.

He broke out
into his wide grin. “Well, then! You’ve gotta come inside to say hello! Please
say you will, Grace. It’ll mean a lot to her,” Paulie cajoled.

Thoughts of the
chores – the milking, starting supper, sweeping out the kitchen – and her
homework rushed through Grace’s mind, but with one decided motion, she pushed
them away.
What will five minutes matter?
One more look at Paulie
determined her choice, though she feared that, if she once gave into the kindhearted
appeals of his eyes, she would not be able to say no ever again.