A Love For Keeps (Truly Yours Digital Editions) (17 page)

“Oh, Mama.” Meagan sighed and shook her head. “It will do no good to discuss it.”

“It’s as I suspect, then. It’s matters of the heart you are dealing with.”

She should have known she couldn’t keep anything from her mother. At her gentle words, Meagan began to talk about it all. “Nate asked me to go to dinner with him tomorrow evening, and I turned him down.”

“But why, dear? I know you care for the man.”

“And so does Abigail Connors. She is determined to have him, Mama. And from what she tells me, she’s practically engaged to him. She’s let me know in no uncertain terms that she plans to marry the man.”

“But that could just be her dream, dear.”

“Mama, she sees him all the time. If she didn’t believe it, then why would she say it?”

“Perhaps she said it to keep you from accepting a dinner invitation from him?”

Oh, how badly Meagan wanted to grasp at the hope her mother was handing her. But she was too afraid to. Yet there was a flicker …. “Mama, do you think that could be true?”

“I think it could be, yes. But I could be wrong. You are right to protect your heart, dear. But while doing that, you need to realize that not all things are as they seem.”

“I’ve been hoping that she was just trying to upset me. But Mama, she is his sister-in-law and Natalie’s aunt. She will always be part of his family, a tie that I do not have.”

“I understand that. Still, true love is very strong. I do not get the impression that Mr. Brooks is smitten with Abigail Connors. And I can’t think that he would ask you to dinner if that were so. But I don’t have all the answers except the most important one.”

“What is that, Mama?”

“You know yourself what it is, my Meggie. Take it all to the Lord, and trust in Him to work it out.”

Meagan nodded. “I will, Mama. I’m going to straighten up the shop and then turn in. Thank you for listening to me.”

“I’m always here for you, dear.”

Meagan kissed the top of her mother’s head. “I know you are. And I don’t know what any of us would do without you.”

She started to rinse her cup and saucer, but her mother shooed her out of the kitchen. “I’ll do this. You go take care of the shop, and spend a little time with the Lord.”

Meagan did just that, praying as she worked. She didn’t know what the Lord’s plan for her and Nate was. Hearing Abigail go on about her and Nate and the places they’d gone and the future she hoped for—it was hard not to believe her. Yet … there was a look in Nate’s eyes tonight that had made Meagan want to cry. He seemed disappointed that she refused his invitation. Perhaps he was. But even if he was, that didn’t mean he wasn’t planning a future with Abigail. Meagan simply did not know what was going on, and she prayed that the Lord would help her through the pain if there was no future for them.

Nate and Natalie had supper at the Connors’ home several nights later, and to his happy surprise, Abigail wasn’t there. It was a rare event when she wasn’t at her parents’ house when Nate and Natalie came for dinner.

“Where is Aunt Abby tonight, Grandmother?” Natalie asked when they entered the dining room.

“A friend of hers is having a dinner just for the women they socialize with. Caroline Atwell has become engaged to be married, and it’s a celebration of sorts,” Georgette informed her once they were at the dinner table.

“I’m sure they’ll have a delightful time,” Nate said. He had noticed that the women Abigail was with most of the time just loved to talk about weddings.

“I’m sure Aunt Abby will enjoy helping to plan the wedding,” Natalie said.

Nate was sure of it, too. The only thing she’d like better would be to be planning her own wedding to him. The cook served them Natalie’s favorite meal of chicken and dumplings, with peas and baby onions on the side. Fluffy rolls completed the course.

As the meal progressed, Nate began to relax and enjoy himself. He could only wish Abigail had more outings with her friends on the nights that he and Natalie were invited to her parents’ home for dinner. Then he felt bad at that thought. Abigail had been a great blessing to him right after Rose passed away. It was only in the last few years that he’d realized she wanted to replace her sister in his affections. That was something he was finding very hard to think about at all. Especially as he’d already put Meagan Snow in that position … even if she didn’t return his feelings.

Natalie’s laugh brought him out of his depressing thoughts. She did enjoy being around her grandparents.

“Oh, Grandpa, that was funny,” Natalie said. “Will you play checkers with me after dinner? I’m getting much better at them.”

“Of course I will. Soon we’ll have to teach you to play chess,” Jacob said.

“I’d love to learn chess!” Natalie said. “But I want to beat you and Papa at checkers before I do.”

The cook came in to clear the table and serve bread pudding and coffee.

“Oh, thank you,” Natalie said as her dessert was placed in front of her. “Everything has been delicious! Thank you for making my favorites!”

“You’re welcome,” the Connorses’ cook said. “Your grandmother asked me to make them especially for you, Miss Natalie.”

“Thank you, Grandmother. It’s probably a good thing Aunt Abby wasn’t here tonight. You know how she feels about dumplings!”

“You are welcome, dear. And yes, I do know how your aunt Abigail feels about them. She doesn’t like them very much, does she?”

Natalie giggled. “No, she sure doesn’t.”

“But you know what?”

Natalie shook her head. “What, Grandmother?”

“She would have had to fill up on peas and onions, because I was going to serve it anyway. The best thing about her being otherwise engaged this evening is that we haven’t had to hear her complain about the meal.”

Everyone got a chuckle out of that, even the cook who was placing Nate’s dessert in front of him. Georgette was exactly right. Abigail would have complained all evening. That his in-laws loved Natalie very much was always apparent, and tonight was no exception.

“You may call it a night, Mrs. Jackson. Natalie will help with the cleanup.”

“Thank you, ma’am. Everything is washed and put up except what’s on the table.”

“Thank you.” Georgette smiled at the woman. “Have a nice evening.”

“I will. Good night.”

Nate and Jacob retired to the study while Natalie and her grandmother cleared the table after dessert. “It’s always a pleasure to have you and Natalie over, Nate. It brings a little life into this house.”

“It’s been a most enjoyable evening, Jacob. Natalie loves coming over.” He did, too, most of the time. It was only Abigail’s company that put him on edge at times. But he was thankful for Jacob and Georgette. “I’m blessed that you and Georgette have always been so kind to me and welcomed me as much as you do Natalie.”

“Nate, you are like a son to us. You are the father of our only granddaughter. You’ll always be part of this family. But you need a life outside of us, too. You need to remarry, son. You need to for your sake
and
Natalie’s.”

He could honestly answer Jacob. “I’ve been thinking about it.” The only problem was, Nate couldn’t help but feel that Jacob was hinting for him to marry Abigail. He couldn’t blame the man. He wanted his daughter to be happy, too. And he wanted to keep his granddaughter close to the family. Nate understood all of that. He just wasn’t sure he could give Jacob and Abigail what they wanted. He wasn’t sure at all. The only woman he wanted as a wife was Meagan Snow, and if he couldn’t get her to go to dinner with him, he didn’t know how it was going to be possible to ask her to become his wife. He could think about getting married all he wanted, but at the moment, it didn’t look like marriage would ever be to the woman he’d come to love.

Later, after they’d returned home and Natalie was ready for bed, Nate went up to tuck her in. They both knelt beside her bed as she said her prayers.

“Dear Father, thank You for this day and for everyone I love. Especially Papa. Thank You for my grandparents and for Aunt Abby, too. Please forgive me for the things I did wrong today and help me to do better tomorrow. Thank You for everything—especially for Jesus. Amen.”

Nate was always touched by her simple prayers, and he had a feeling that the Lord was, too. Natalie scrambled up into her bed and pulled the covers up around her neck.

“Did you have a good time at your grandparents’ tonight?” Nate asked as he brushed his lips across her brow.

“I did. I love playing checkers with Grandfather. I’m glad he doesn’t let me win. I want to beat him fair and square one day!”

“I’m sure you will. You are getting better all the time.” Nate sat down on the side of the bed and thought a minute before he spoke. “Natalie, dear, would you like for me to marry again one of these days?”

She sat straight up in bed and clapped her hands. “Oh, Papa, yes I would! I would love to have a mama like all of my friends! It would be so nice!”

“Do you think so?”

“Oh, yes! And you wouldn’t be so lonesome when I grow up or when I’m not here.”

Now how did she know I get lonesome?
Nate wondered. “Well, I’ll tell you what. I will do some thinking about it, all right?”

“Oh, yes, Papa. Please do think about it!”

She settled back down on her pillow, and Nate kissed her once more before turning down the light and going back down to his study.

He had been thinking about marriage a lot lately. Abigail had been bringing up the subject more often over the last few months, but it was Meagan he envisioned as his bride. But if Meagan didn’t care about him the same way, what was he to do?

Abigail had been right about Natalie. She did need and want a mother. Yet the only woman he wanted to fill that position seemed cool and distant to him. Until the other day, he truly thought Meagan was beginning to care about him, too. Now he wasn’t so sure.

He didn’t want to give up on Meagan yet. Maybe she was just having a bad day when he asked her to dinner. That might be all it was. Natalie had her last fitting set for the next day. Perhaps he would be able to ask Meagan out again. If she turned him down this time, well then, he’d just have to accept that he’d been mistaken about how she might feel toward him and get over her.

But he wasn’t ready to give up tonight. He bowed his head and asked for guidance. “Dear Lord, I’m in a quandary here. I have no idea if Meagan cares for me as I do her, but I need to find out. My daughter wants a mother, and I need a wife. I want it to be Meagan. But if that is not Your will, please help me to accept what is and go on. In Jesus’ precious name, I pray. Amen.”

Meagan greeted Natalie and Nate when they came in the shop on Saturday morning, feeling both sad and relieved that this was Natalie’s last fitting for a while. Much as she loved this child—and her papa—it had become painful to see them both when she knew they would never be hers.

“Good afternoon, Natalie. Are you ready to try on your new dress?”

“Oh, yes, I am!” Natalie hurried behind the changing screen. “I can’t wait to wear it to church.”